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Archival research in a planetarium: The first projector at Armagh Planetarium (page 37)
McMahon, M. and Nežič, R.

This paper will examine how a simple archival research project in a planetarium can uncover competing narratives and forgotten figures. We set out to uncover how a Goto "Mars" projector was selected for the Armagh Planetarium in 1965 by looking at the remaining archival material from the period. The projector was the centrepiece of a new planetarium that had been in the planning stages for over twenty years when the first stones were laid. The projector would occupy a pivotal place in the mythology of the Armagh Planetarium, and its short seven-year reign saw the establishment of an institution that would survive significant internal and external turmoil. Contrasting the narrative and mythology around this central piece of equipment with the evidence uncovered in the archive reveals important considerations for how planetariums can research their own history.

Suggested Citation (APA)
McMahon, M. and Nežič, R. (2024). Archival research in a planetarium: The first projector at Armagh Planetarium. Communicating Astronomy with the Public Journal, 34, 37-43. https://www.capjournal.org/issues/34/34_37.pdf