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Informal Science Education Network              <[log in to unmask]> writes:
>Michelle, I posted the following a few days before your post.
>-----------------
>About a month ago, I believe I came across a small table-top planetarium 
>for something less than $2000. As I recall, it had no dome, but it may 
>have had some satisfactory substitute.  In any case, does anyone know of 
>such devices? The idea would be to put int on the main floor of our 
>small museum, and pretty much have it self operating. We probably could 
>put it into a dark enclosure that a small number of people could duck 
>into or walk into.
>-----------------
>Do you have any ideas on it?

Wayne - if you find a pic of it to send to me off-list, please do.  I have an idea of what it might be, but I need to see it to confirm.

We have thought about doing a walk-through planetarium experience for many years.  I don't know what may become of that idea, but one of the things that is difficult to get around is taking people from a daylit or artificial light environment to a darker
environment.  It takes a little while for eyes to be adjusted enough to see planetarium stars.  We are able to do this in planetarium shows by bringing people into a theater space that is not as lit as the rest of the museum, so that their eyes adapt
over the course of a few minutes.  A planetarium show generally doesn't start by immediately turning all the lights off, either, so by the time the stars do come on, people can see most of them.  Many of the newest planetarium projectors are really
bright and can get around this, somewhat, but I suspect the gizmo that you have run across isn't a Zeiss Mark 9 or a Minolta Infinium in miniature.  :>)

The other problem is that senior citizens' eyes don't react as quickly to the dark, making their dark adaptation time even longer.

If you do want to do this idea, I strongly suggest prototyping it to see how many stars people see when they first walk in and how much outside light you can get away with & still see a decent amount of stars.  If they walk in & don't see much, they'll
probably not think well of the activity & walk right out.  You have to keep them in there for at least a few minutes, I would think. This would also limit the number of people that can get through the space in an hour.  Safety is also a concern....people
who first walk through might not see others who are already there if the space is enclosed.

Hope this is helpful information.

Michelle

Michelle Nichols, Master Educator for Informal Programs
The Adler Planetarium
1300 S. Lake Shore Dr.
Chicago, IL  60605
312-322-0520 
312-322-2257 (fax)
[log in to unmask]
http://www.adlerplanetarium.org

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