Here’s a new way to reach kids via astronomy: a planetarium in Second Life.

Anthony Crider, an astronomy professor at Elon University in North Carolina, has had his students creating astronomy adventures in the virtual world of Second Life. He set up a planetarium there, and watched 30 to 40 people – their avatars, at least – wait in line for planetarium shows. He has his students test out their class telescope in virtual life before they fumble with it in real life. And he’s working with NASA Ames and others to try to create a ‘SciLands’ area for scientifically interested people to congregate in in Second Life.

Finding like-minded people in the virtual world can be a challenge, though. Crider says he was inspired to purchase his own land and set up a new planetarium after his old location got some new neighbors: a casino, and a shop specializing in lesbian vampire pornography.

Now, though, he sees people coming into Second Life to debate the planetary status of Pluto, or to watch launches of spacecraft on NASA-TV. It’s a weird world out there, but there are plenty of astronomy buffs wherever you go.