A Hundred Years in the Dark:

We celebrate the hundredth anniversary of the invention of the device that will realistically reproduce the glorious sight of the entire sky on demand, from any location, date, and time, at our command, for young and old alike. The many attempts to "bring the sky to the people" both before and since the invention of the projection planetarium incorporated a combination of technology and ingenuity to reproduce an accurate and pleasurable experience.  In recent years the technological evolution of planetariums has given rise to a new kind of venue- the domed theater.  Growing up enthralled by the stars and later working in planetariums eventually provided a satisfying place in the "world of work" for our presenter.

Our speaker tonight is Sam Storch. Sam was a long-time lecturer for more than three decades at New Yorkʼs Hayden Planetarium. A Professor at Nassau Community College, he conducted classes in astronomy and also worked and consulted at several other planetariums and institutions in the New York City and Long Island areas.

Sam Storch is an elected Fellow of the International Planetarium Society as well as the Middle Atlantic Planetarium Society, which awarded him the Distinguished Service Award, its highest professional honor.  Sam also received a Special Service Award from the Northeast Region of the Astronomical League, the largest federation of astronomical societies in the United States.

Sam joined ASLI in 1974 and eventually became ASLI’s Vice President as well as the editor of the monthly ASLI News for three decades.  He still observes using his 10-inch “ASLI Dob” which has provided beautiful images for more than four decades since its first light in October of 1983.  Many lifelong friendships were developed within ASLI.  The memories include a meeting after which efforts to take on coffee through “intravenous methods” were attempted