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Inside the World's Most Advanced Planetarium

Posted by samzenpus on from the laser-floyd-will-never-be-the-same dept.

notthatwillsmith writes "Earlier this month, the most technologically-advanced digital planetarium in the world opened in San Francisco's California Academy of Sciences. The new Morrison Planetarium's 75-foot screen replaces the traditional Zeiss projector with an array of 6 high-resolution DLP projectors arrayed around the edge of the theater, which are powered by three very different, but interesting computing clusters. The three clusters allow for projection of traditional planetarium shows, playback of ultra-high resolution movies, and display of anything from current atmospheric conditions on Earth to a (greatly accelerated) trip to the farthest reaches of the universe, all rendered in real-time on an 8800 sq. ft. dome. Maximum PC went on a behind the scenes tour with the engineers who built the systems that do everything from run the planetarium lights to the sound systems to the tech behind the screen to show you how it works and what it's like to drive, well ... the universe."

20 of 133 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Attention spans by colourmyeyes · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...said every generation ever.

    --
    My grandmother used anecdotal evidence all the time, and she lived to be 120 years old.
  2. Re:Attention spans by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Not very interesting to today's kids unless there be lazer flashes and starships goin' round.

    And Pink Floyd.

  3. Shh! Don't tell McCain! He'll go POW on you! by Dr.+Spork · · Score: 5, Informative

    This thing sounds expensive. I wonder if this ended up costing more than the $3,000,000 that the Alder Planetarium payed for it's high-tech projection system.

    When, in a recent debate, McCain was reaching for an example of ridiculous pork that he demonstrates spending that's run out of control, he mentioned this as a paradigmatic waste of money: "Three million dollars for a (heh heh) projector." See the story here.

    Be glad he doesn't read Slashdot!

    1. Re:Shh! Don't tell McCain! He'll go POW on you! by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I was seriously annoyed when I saw that. It is perfectly legitimate to argue that federal money shouldn't(or should) be spent on planetarium hardware; but describing a planetarium projection system as an "overhead projector" is seriously pushing the bounds of honesty. If you think that educational hardware is a bad use of federal money, fine, come out and say so; but don't set up a ridiculous strawman(actual overhead projectors cost less than $500, anybody would be stupid to pay $3,000,000).

    2. Re:Shh! Don't tell McCain! He'll go POW on you! by speaker4thedead · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Since when were the presidential debates about honesty?

      --
      "My religion is to live --and die-- without regret." -- Milarepa
    3. Re:Shh! Don't tell McCain! He'll go POW on you! by Tablizer · · Score: 3, Insightful

      but describing a planetarium projection system as an "overhead projector" is seriously pushing the bounds of honesty.

      I heard it mentioned in 2 of the debates. The way McCain described it could be interpreted either as a planetarium or an office-style overhead projector (as I remember it). I'll give him the benefit of a doubt, for its not something familiar to most politicians.

      More interesting, however, was how Obama handled it. In my opinion, Obama's approach was brilliant: he *ignored* the point both times. Most listeners are probably thinking, "If a planetarium projector (with possible educational value) is the worse pork McCain can site, then he's wasting time fussing about nitty little things when we are teetering on a potential repeat of the 30's."

      Knowing when to shut up is an important campaign skill (and one lost on Biden apparently :-). Obama let McCain happily eat himself rather than get caught up in tit-for-tat over that.

      --
      Table-ized A.I.
    4. Re:Shh! Don't tell McCain! He'll go POW on you! by Jeremy+Erwin · · Score: 4, Informative

      The Adler wanted a world class projector system--and the Universarium IX projects a image so detailed that audience members could benefit from binoculars

      It's only an absurd notion if you have no binoculars at hand.

    5. Re:Shh! Don't tell McCain! He'll go POW on you! by skam240 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      "He did mention that it was for a planetarium the time I seen him mention it. If you can't put 2 and 2 together to get what he was talking about it probably didn't matter what he called it."

      I disagree. He chose the wording projector specifically because it implies a cheap device and therefore enforces the idea that this is wasteful spending. Plus, by questioning an institution devoted to intellectual pursuits he gets to attack those darn intellectuals modern Republicans seem to hate so much.

      "Secondly, for all the bitching and moaning I see going on around here about space exploration being a drain funds for fattening up the poor, I find it odd that most slashdotters don't see they value in buying a couple thousand PCs and copies of Starry Night Backyard for each one of them for 3 million."

      You seem to be implying that spending money making sure American's aren't living in absolute poverty (thus reducing the chances that their children become criminals) is more important than a space station that could easily be replaced by cheap unmanned satellites and a major push by NASA to go back to the moon to address our insecurities in regards to China's proposed landing there decades after we have. Is that correct or am I missing something?

      "I think the planetarium, just like the public library, is becoming more and more outmoded by the home PC."

      Have you ever seen a young child at a planetarium? Especially an academically inclined one? I can think of few better ways of addressing the United State's lack luster performance in turning out scientists and engineers than to expose children to stuff like this. We are a long ways off in home PC technology in instilling the awe of the universe that a planetarium can provide.

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      I ignore Anonymous Coward posts. If you want to discuss something, that's awesome. Log in.
    6. Re:Shh! Don't tell McCain! He'll go POW on you! by DeltaStorm · · Score: 3, Informative

      They didn't even get the money. They released a statement after the debate http://www.adlerplanetarium.org/pressroom/pr/2008_10_08_AdlerStatement_aboutdebate.pdf

      --
      .sdrawkcab si gis siht
  4. Home version by syousef · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I've been thinking of buying a projector for my 3 month old son's bedroom when he's just a little older (I've read their distance vision improves at 8 months). That plus decent planetarium software would let me project the stars on the ceiling for him at night. I've got a spare PC that'd do fine but unfortunately it's over AUD1000 for a semi decent projector (and a few hundred dollars a pop for the lamps - that's the real killer). I can't justify that. Plus it would give me a flat not spherical projection.

    I can't think of anything mid way in between those garbage home projectors that project lines on your ceiling for the constellations, and a full blown projector setup.

    --
    These posts express my own personal views, not those of my employer
    1. Re:Home version by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

      I can think of a couple of options for you here.

      First, don't worry too much about the flat. That can be fixed in software (as is already done for key-stoning). Although if you can't code your own display software you may indeed be in trouble here.

      Secondly for a bedroom at night, you won't really need that bright a bulb. And since the reason for the high cost is for the number of lumens, you might actually be able to cheaper. I know my phone on 'white' will light up bits of the room bright enough to be stars, so maybe some sort of kit starting with a neo and an appropriate lens?

    2. Re:Home version by jewelises · · Score: 5, Funny

      It might be cheaper to just get a glass ceiling.

    3. Re:Home version by siddesu · · Score: 4, Informative

      I use Stellarium (stellarium.org) on Linux on a large (47") TV. It is as cool as a planetarium, with more bells and whistles than you'd need. It works fine on a 32" too.

      If what Stellarium ain't enough and I need Imperial cruisers and a Death star here and there, I use Celestia (http://www.shatters.net/celestia/) with some custom add-ons. Extra benefits if you let kids design their own universes.

      The third piece is cartes du ciel, but I mostly use that to plan my observations.

    4. Re:Home version by lysergic.acid · · Score: 4, Interesting

      i know you were joking, but we actually had that when i was a kid.

      back when i was in 1st~3nd grade my parents and i lived in a rural part of Taipei (Taiwan) in my Grandma's house along with my uncles and their families. it was a traditional clan home, so my parents and i shared a single large bedroom, as did each of my uncles' families. each bedroom was sorta like a single-room apartment, so most of my uncles had TVs in their rooms, and one of them even had a home theater setup complete with a professional grade sound system.

      we'd just moved back to Taiwan so aside from the bed, all we had was an old 386 (ok, it wasn't really "old" at the time) running DOS. consequently, our bedroom was pretty spartan (read: ghetto) compared to the rest of the house. and since our bedroom was in the interior of the house, we didn't have any outside windows for direct sunlight. so my dad decided to have a "sunroof" installed right above our bed, which provided natural lighting during the day, and so that at night we could look up and see the stars.

      my cousins and i stayed up many nights sitting under that sunroof with a bunch of snacks bought from the local 7-11 just enjoying the night sky.

  5. The blue screen of death by andreyvul · · Score: 3, Funny

    would look pretty interesting on a huge spherical screen.
    Maybe it can even one-up Beijing's BSoD.

    --
    proud caffeine whore
  6. The technology behind this is quite impressive by KingArthur10 · · Score: 4, Informative

    The planetarium that I work at is also considering using the Uniview system. We currently use the Konica Minolta's single-projector MediaGlobe I/II system. It provides wonderful visuals and interactivity in our galaxy, but sadly, its intergalactic abilities aren't nearly up to what the Uniview can do. For those wishing to dabble a bit in the technology behind Uniview, though, check out the free Digital Universe.

    --
    I came, I saw, She conquered.
  7. It is not a planetarium by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I love the Academy of Sciences and the old planetarium. Been going there since the 80's. Needless to say I was thrilled to be there when the new facility opened.

    It is not a planetarium. It is an IMAX movie. You sit, watch a film, and leave. There is no talk about constellations, or where in the sky you should look to see features. The movie has a lot of narration about saving the environment, man-made waste products, deforestation, and other topics completely unrelated to the solar system. In fact a large chunk of it is devoted to discussing extra-terrestrial life and the size of solar system as far as man has explored it.

    This falls in line with the new Academy of Sciences which is no longer about science, it's a marketing experience. There are a zillion gift shops with toys but NO BOOKS. I was amazed about how much historical and scientific material is completely missing from the new building.

    They are selling a fun experience for kids that is short on science, short on education and high on "fun". It's something a Great America or Disneyland designer would come up with. I'm sad to see the old one go and disappointed the new one took the easy way out.

    The old Academy of Sciences made science FUN. This one is entirely forgettable and you won't leave it knowing any more than you did coming in. It's a perfect trip for the family, but do yourself a favor and check out the Exploratorium if you to do right for your kids.

    1. Re:It is not a planetarium by DerekLyons · · Score: 5, Insightful

      They are selling a fun experience for kids that is short on science, short on education and high on "fun". It's something a Great America or Disneyland designer would come up with.

      You see the fruit not of amusement park designers but of decades of educators trying to make education 'fun' rather than educational.

  8. Video Explanation by slifox · · Score: 4, Informative

    Found a video describing the planetarium tech:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJewbEIzesE

  9. oldskool planatarium of Eise Eisinga by Tjeerd · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Perhaps it's interesting to see an oldskool planetarium built in the 1770's inside the house of the Frysian guy named Eise Eisinga. You can see some pictures here of the inside of his house and the planetarium.

    --
    To repeat what others have said, requires education, to challenge it , requires brains.