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What is a planetarium
German company Carl Ziess produced the first projection planetarium in 1923. The news of model 1 of its equipment, installed at the Deutsche Museum in Munich, spread throughout the world like wildfire. Soon, Japan and the US pitched in with accessories and auxiliaries, then full-scale planetariums of their own.
Although originally it was a mechanical model depicting the motion of the planets, the word “planetarium” today refers to optical projection equipment that show upon the inner surface of a hemispherical dome the stars, planets, moons, comets and galaxies.
It is a school and a theatre rolled into one. Millions of people lack understanding of the fabric of heavens. They, for instance, are not aware that stars are distant suns, or that there are as many as 100 moons in the solar system.
For the city dweller plagued by city lights and smog, the night sky might mean nothing. In that case, the planetarium may provide the only plausible view of the wonders of space. Here, the motions of the Earth and sky are displayed.
Days, months and years are compressed into minutes. Sun, moon, planets and stars parade in an orderly fashion across the planetarium ‘sky’. The drama of the universe is unveiled. At the planetarium, education, entertainment and inspiration are offered in a single package.
The realism of the night sky, as reproduced at a planetarium, is remarkable. Often people are tricked into believing that somehow the roof has been lifted to reveal the real sky! Also, the space flight effect is so powerful that people tighten their grips on their seats, lest they are lifted into the sky. —
AAB
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