MAPS Conference 2022 – Sponsor Information – Middle Atlantic Planetarium Society

Dear MAPS Supporter,

The Middle Atlantic Planetarium Society will bring together its members, vendors, and supporters in Orono, Maine for the 2022 Conference. This year’s conference will be hosted by the Versant Power Astronomy Center & Jordan Planetarium at the University of Maine starting in the late afternoon on Wednesday May 18th and running through the early afternoon on Saturday, May 21st.

This year’s theme of “Dome Visualization and Climate Change!” will explore a variety of new tools we use to create content for our domes and look at one of the most pressing issues planet Earth faces – Climate Change. As industry professionals, sponsors / exhibitors are an important component of every MAPS conference. The MAPS Board and membership are grateful to vendor sponsorship, which makes it possible to hold a conference that is affordable to MAPS members.

We hope that you will consider supporting the 2022 MAPS conference through sponsorship! Our goal is to provide ample opportunities for you to interact with conference attendees in several ways. Some of the features for sponsors at MAPS 2022 are:

Dome time – Our 10m (33 foot) dome has 52 unidirectional seats with a digital 4K Sky-Skan/SSIATech system. Vendors will be given the opportunity to install temporary equipment for demonstration purposes. Check with host, Shawn Laatsch to discuss specific needs.
Talks, Workshops, and Panel Discussions – There is ample space in the theater as well as meeting rooms for delegate and vendor talks, mini-lessons, workshops, and panel discussions.
Vendor Hall – Vendor exhibits will be in one of the larger function spaces on the University of Maine grounds in the Innovation Media Research & Commercialization Center (IMRC). The Vendor Hall is a very short walk from the planetarium, and we will have our morning and afternoon breaks in this area to encourage delegates to interact with vendors. The conference schedule will include dedicated vendor time in the dome and vendor hall.
Educational vendor workshops – Vendors may offer a workshop where they demonstrate and educate existing and prospective ‘customers’ about the use of their equipment, software or content materials. This will incur added sponsor fees as shown in the sponsor schedule of fees. Please submit a standard workshop form to propose.
Special Opportunities – We currently are working to secure one of Maine’s astronauts for the conference, a special cocktail evening, trip to our local Challenger Learning Center, and some other unique items in the works. Contact the conference host for details and opportunities around this.

Please make your selection of options on the Exhibit/Sponsor Form and send with payment and registrations for all your attending representatives to MAPS Treasure Mike Francis. Thank you for your consideration of sponsorship. We hope to see you in Orono at the end of May!

Shawn Laatsch, Director & Your MAPS Executive Board
Versant Power Astronomy Center & Jordan Planetarium
University of Maine
Conference Host

COVID Protocols:

Per University of Maine policy all visitors must wear a mask covering the nose and mouth while inside buildings on campus. Additionally MAPS will be utilizing CrowdPass for vaccine verification or for providing a negative COVID test 24 hours prior to the conference.

Host Planetarium:

The Jordan Planetarium rests within the Versant Power Astronomy Center at the University of Maine. The facility originally opened in 1954 in Wingate Hall and is named in honor of Maynard Jordan, professor of mathematics who taught astronomy at the University of Maine. The facility was upgraded and relaunched in October of 2014 as the Emera Astronomy Center with an upgraded planetarium, multipurpose room, 20” PlaneWave research observatory, and the 8” historic Alvin Clark refractor.

Jordan Planetarium: Theater Technical Specifications

10-meter (33-foot) dome, tilted 15 degrees
52 unidirectional seats
Sky-Skan/SSIA-Tech 4k digital system
- Upgraded in July 2019 with a new computer cluster, 5.1 audio system and 2 JVC Laser
  Projectors
- Digital Sky/Dark Matter software packages
- OpenSpace and WWT
Cove area/walkway around the dome is 6 feet wide
Spring line of 72” in south, 148” in north
One digital inset projector installed in North cove for PowerPoint, etc.

Vendor Hall Floor Plan:

Sponsor exhibit booths are in Room 104 of the IMRC (the Fernald Adaptive Presentation and Performance Environment). The space is 60’x40′ and has a ceiling height of 22’. Power outlets are available, and the area has full darkness shades. Each exhibit booth space is 6 ft x 6 ft. You may choose whether to have an empty space or include a table with 1 or 2 chairs. The space can accommodate some portable domes. Please contact Shawn Laatsch for information about space for a portable dome.