October 9-13, 2007

Benedum Planetarium – Oglebay Resort and Converence Center – Steve Mitch
(Triple Conjunction – joint SEPA/GLPA/MAPS conference)

Dear SEPA, GLPA and MAPS Colleagues,

We would like to invite you to join us for the first ever Triple Conjunction Conference of the Southeastern Planetarium Association, the Great Lakes Planetarium Association and the Middle Atlantic Planetarium Society, October 9-13, at the Oglebay Resort in Wheeling, West Virginia. Wheeling is located in the northern panhandle of the West Virginia, one hour southwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Please make special note of deadline dates and room release date for conference hotel.

The conference will consist of many papers, posters and workshops designed to stimulate and encourage fellow colleagues. We are anticipating a good vendor turnout for the conference to give you the opportunity to learn about some of the exciting new tools available to planetarium professionals.

Four outstanding speakers have accepted invitations to give talks during the conference. The speakers are David Levy, James Kaler, Charles Wood and Dr. James Sweitzer. Their biographies are listed in the delegate information and tentative conference program that is a part of this packet.

The Carnegie Science Center Buhl Planetarium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania will be the conference co-host on Thursday, October 11, as we will visit the facility for additional conference activities. Later that day, we will travel to their sister museum, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History for a behind the scenes tour of the newly remodeled Hall of Dinosaurs and a dinner in the Hall of Architecture. After dinner, James Kaler will give his Annual Astronomy Update talk in the Carnegie Lecture Hall.

Susan Reynolds Button is organizing a portable dome workshop consisting of at least 4 domes. The workshop will feature many activities, lessons and resources. The portable dome workshop will be held Wednesday on afternoon.

We look forward to your presence at the conference and we are sure that you will find something valuable to take back with you to incorporate into your programs and activities.

Steven R. Mitch, Planetarium Director and Conference Host