Fulldome Planetarium
Morehead's planetarium seats about 240 people, with a dome that is 68 feet (21 m) in diameter and 44 feet (13 m) tall. It currently boasts two different projection systems.
In February 2010, Morehead introduced its new fulldome digital video (FDV) projection system, the largest FDV installation in the southeastern United States. The new system provides super-high-definition image resolution, 5.1 surround sound and a uniquely immersive planetarium experience. Funding for the new system was provided by GlaxoSmithKline, and the planetarium's star theater is now named the GlaxoSmithKline Fulldome Theater.
Morehead's historic star projector, a Carl Zeiss Model VI, was installed in 1969 and remained in limited use as of April 2011, primarily for field trip groups. This projector displays about 8,900 different stars on the dome overhead. The analog planetarium shows are a combined effort of the Zeiss projector, slide projectors and video projectors working together to form a multimedia experience. Planetarium officials hope to display at least a portion of the projector somewhere in the center. The projector was removed in August 2011.
Read more about this topic: Morehead Planetarium And Science Center
Famous quotes containing the word planetarium:
“In a large university, there are as many deans and executive heads as there are schools and departments. Their relations to one another are intricate and periodic; in fact, “galaxy” is too loose a term: it is a planetarium of deans with the President of the University as a central sun. One can see eclipses, inner systems, and oppositions.”
—Jacques Barzun (b. 1907)