Comments on: Under the Sky in an Inflatable Planetarium http://andydolph.com/2010/04/23/under-the-sky-in-an-inflatable-planetarium/ Storytelling, Technology and Life Thu, 08 Mar 2012 15:53:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: Andy Dolph http://andydolph.com/2010/04/23/under-the-sky-in-an-inflatable-planetarium/comment-page-1/#comment-1437 Andy Dolph Fri, 22 Jul 2011 23:32:00 +0000 http://andydolph.com/?p=412#comment-1437 Hi Ada, I'm not sure how to help you - unfortunately setting up a planetarium is either expensive, technical or both.... Best thing would be to find a company in your region that travels with a portable dome system and could bring it to your event... If you tell me where you're located, I might be able to get you in touch with someone... Andy Sent from my iPad Hi Ada,

I’m not sure how to help you – unfortunately setting up a planetarium is either expensive, technical or both….

Best thing would be to find a company in your region that travels with a portable dome system and could bring it to your event…

If you tell me where you’re located, I might be able to get you in touch with someone…

Andy

Sent from my iPad

]]> By: Ada Abiaka http://andydolph.com/2010/04/23/under-the-sky-in-an-inflatable-planetarium/comment-page-1/#comment-1436 Ada Abiaka Fri, 22 Jul 2011 23:16:00 +0000 http://andydolph.com/?p=412#comment-1436 great stuff. I dont know much about planetariums. My company has an annual science interactive exhibition for kids. This year we would like a planetarium because our theme is on light, optics and vision. Its very nouvell where i live. Need advice that is easier for non techie to understand. check us out on www.inspirekidstoday.org Ada great stuff. I dont know much about planetariums. My company has an annual science interactive exhibition for kids. This year we would like a planetarium because our theme is on light, optics and vision. Its very nouvell where i live. Need advice that is easier for non techie to understand. check us out on http://www.inspirekidstoday.org
Ada

]]> By: admin http://andydolph.com/2010/04/23/under-the-sky-in-an-inflatable-planetarium/comment-page-1/#comment-883 admin Tue, 13 Jul 2010 14:29:19 +0000 http://andydolph.com/?p=412#comment-883 Oh, I see. The godome surfaces work very well for digital projection - I think it's quite a nice product. I would not get the light weight version though - extra weight = extra durability. Andy Oh, I see.

The godome surfaces work very well for digital projection – I think it’s quite a nice product.

I would not get the light weight version though – extra weight = extra durability.

Andy

]]> By: admin http://andydolph.com/2010/04/23/under-the-sky-in-an-inflatable-planetarium/comment-page-1/#comment-1335 admin Tue, 13 Jul 2010 14:29:00 +0000 http://andydolph.com/?p=412#comment-1335 Oh, I see. The godome surfaces work very well for digital projection - I think it's quite a nice product. I would not get the light weight version though - extra weight = extra durability. Andy Oh, I see.

The godome surfaces work very well for digital projection – I think it’s quite a nice product.

I would not get the light weight version though – extra weight = extra durability.

Andy

]]> By: Geoff Beauchamp http://andydolph.com/2010/04/23/under-the-sky-in-an-inflatable-planetarium/comment-page-1/#comment-882 Geoff Beauchamp Tue, 13 Jul 2010 14:14:22 +0000 http://andydolph.com/?p=412#comment-882 Yeah, we used to use Starlabs when we started but they were just not large enough so we contracted with a private company to make similar but much larger ones specifically for us. If Godome does make ones as large as you say we might have to look at those when the time comes to replace ours (as they wear out). Thanks for the info! Geoff Yeah, we used to use Starlabs when we started but they were just not large enough so we contracted with a private company to make similar but much larger ones specifically for us. If Godome does make ones as large as you say we might have to look at those when the time comes to replace ours (as they wear out).

Thanks for the info!
Geoff

]]> By: Geoff Beauchamp http://andydolph.com/2010/04/23/under-the-sky-in-an-inflatable-planetarium/comment-page-1/#comment-1334 Geoff Beauchamp Tue, 13 Jul 2010 14:14:00 +0000 http://andydolph.com/?p=412#comment-1334 Yeah, we used to use Starlabs when we started but they were just not large enough so we contracted with a private company to make similar but much larger ones specifically for us. If Godome does make ones as large as you say we might have to look at those when the time comes to replace ours (as they wear out). Thanks for the info! Geoff Yeah, we used to use Starlabs when we started but they were just not large enough so we contracted with a private company to make similar but much larger ones specifically for us. If Godome does make ones as large as you say we might have to look at those when the time comes to replace ours (as they wear out).

Thanks for the info!
Geoff

]]> By: admin http://andydolph.com/2010/04/23/under-the-sky-in-an-inflatable-planetarium/comment-page-1/#comment-881 admin Tue, 13 Jul 2010 14:02:22 +0000 http://andydolph.com/?p=412#comment-881 It is VERY exciting to see how engaged and "starry eyed" the kids get when they just see the inflated dome, and then to have that build from there as the stars come out and they start to learn. They system I used is borrowed - so it's what they had... but it does work very well. I think that if I had the money and I was going to buy a system for the sort of work you do, I would be likely to go with either the Digitalis system or the SkySkan Definity system - Definity is awesome but expensive. Digitalis is great, and based on Nightshade - the same software I used for this outing - it works very well, but it doesn't have the flexibility of the Digital Sky 2 software that runs the Definity systems - with that you can actually fly just about anywhere in the universe. From looking at your website it looks like you're using a starlab dome with your Digitalis projector. If so, I'd take another look at GoDome They make up to 9 meter domes (29.5 ft). The entryway also saves a HUGE amount of time in load/unload rather then the starlab tunnel. I haven't used one, but if I was going to buy a new GoDome, I'd get one with 3 or 4 tubes around the base to get the spring line further up off the ground (and above the kids heads - that way you really get the full hemisphere to project on. I've always felt the image was somewhat compressed vertically with the one I've used (that doesn't have the tubes). Thanks for your comments! Andy It is VERY exciting to see how engaged and “starry eyed” the kids get when they just see the inflated dome, and then to have that build from there as the stars come out and they start to learn.

They system I used is borrowed – so it’s what they had… but it does work very well.

I think that if I had the money and I was going to buy a system for the sort of work you do, I would be likely to go with either the Digitalis system or the SkySkan Definity system – Definity is awesome but expensive. Digitalis is great, and based on Nightshade – the same software I used for this outing – it works very well, but it doesn’t have the flexibility of the Digital Sky 2 software that runs the Definity systems – with that you can actually fly just about anywhere in the universe.

From looking at your website it looks like you’re using a starlab dome with your Digitalis projector. If so, I’d take another look at GoDome They make up to 9 meter domes (29.5 ft). The entryway also saves a HUGE amount of time in load/unload rather then the starlab tunnel. I haven’t used one, but if I was going to buy a new GoDome, I’d get one with 3 or 4 tubes around the base to get the spring line further up off the ground (and above the kids heads – that way you really get the full hemisphere to project on. I’ve always felt the image was somewhat compressed vertically with the one I’ve used (that doesn’t have the tubes).

Thanks for your comments!

Andy

]]> By: admin http://andydolph.com/2010/04/23/under-the-sky-in-an-inflatable-planetarium/comment-page-1/#comment-1333 admin Tue, 13 Jul 2010 14:02:00 +0000 http://andydolph.com/?p=412#comment-1333 It is VERY exciting to see how engaged and "starry eyed" the kids get when they just see the inflated dome, and then to have that build from there as the stars come out and they start to learn. They system I used is borrowed - so it's what they had... but it does work very well. I think that if I had the money and I was going to buy a system for the sort of work you do, I would be likely to go with either the Digitalis system or the SkySkan Definity system - Definity is awesome but expensive. Digitalis is great, and based on Nightshade - the same software I used for this outing - it works very well, but it doesn't have the flexibility of the Digital Sky 2 software that runs the Definity systems - with that you can actually fly just about anywhere in the universe. From looking at your website it looks like you're using a starlab dome with your Digitalis projector. If so, I'd take another look at GoDome They make up to 9 meter domes (29.5 ft). The entryway also saves a HUGE amount of time in load/unload rather then the starlab tunnel. I haven't used one, but if I was going to buy a new GoDome, I'd get one with 3 or 4 tubes around the base to get the spring line further up off the ground (and above the kids heads - that way you really get the full hemisphere to project on. I've always felt the image was somewhat compressed vertically with the one I've used (that doesn't have the tubes). Thanks for your comments! Andy It is VERY exciting to see how engaged and “starry eyed” the kids get when they just see the inflated dome, and then to have that build from there as the stars come out and they start to learn.

They system I used is borrowed – so it’s what they had… but it does work very well.

I think that if I had the money and I was going to buy a system for the sort of work you do, I would be likely to go with either the Digitalis system or the SkySkan Definity system – Definity is awesome but expensive. Digitalis is great, and based on Nightshade – the same software I used for this outing – it works very well, but it doesn’t have the flexibility of the Digital Sky 2 software that runs the Definity systems – with that you can actually fly just about anywhere in the universe.

From looking at your website it looks like you’re using a starlab dome with your Digitalis projector. If so, I’d take another look at GoDome They make up to 9 meter domes (29.5 ft). The entryway also saves a HUGE amount of time in load/unload rather then the starlab tunnel. I haven’t used one, but if I was going to buy a new GoDome, I’d get one with 3 or 4 tubes around the base to get the spring line further up off the ground (and above the kids heads – that way you really get the full hemisphere to project on. I’ve always felt the image was somewhat compressed vertically with the one I’ve used (that doesn’t have the tubes).

Thanks for your comments!

Andy

]]> By: Geoff Beauchamp http://andydolph.com/2010/04/23/under-the-sky-in-an-inflatable-planetarium/comment-page-1/#comment-880 Geoff Beauchamp Tue, 13 Jul 2010 13:13:56 +0000 http://andydolph.com/?p=412#comment-880 Nice article! Kids love planetariums, and it is a great thing to share with them. We have been touring portable planetariums to schools for more than twenty years and have shared the same experience you describe with thousands of schools. We call our program Skydome, and since we try to make it available to an entire school in one day we use a larger dome than yours. Ours is thirty feet across and allows up to 100 kids per show. I am intrigued by your projector! Very cool take on this problem. We use a Digitalis projector which works well with the larger dome. We looked into the Godome and though it is a great design, we felt it was too small for our needs. Isn't it cool to see the kids faces and the awesome looks inspired by the night sky? Nice article! Kids love planetariums, and it is a great thing to share with them. We have been touring portable planetariums to schools for more than twenty years and have shared the same experience you describe with thousands of schools. We call our program Skydome, and since we try to make it available to an entire school in one day we use a larger dome than yours. Ours is thirty feet across and allows up to 100 kids per show.
I am intrigued by your projector! Very cool take on this problem. We use a Digitalis projector which works well with the larger dome. We looked into the Godome and though it is a great design, we felt it was too small for our needs.
Isn’t it cool to see the kids faces and the awesome looks inspired by the night sky?

]]> By: Geoff Beauchamp http://andydolph.com/2010/04/23/under-the-sky-in-an-inflatable-planetarium/comment-page-1/#comment-1332 Geoff Beauchamp Tue, 13 Jul 2010 13:13:00 +0000 http://andydolph.com/?p=412#comment-1332 Nice article! Kids love planetariums, and it is a great thing to share with them. We have been touring portable planetariums to schools for more than twenty years and have shared the same experience you describe with thousands of schools. We call our program Skydome, and since we try to make it available to an entire school in one day we use a larger dome than yours. Ours is thirty feet across and allows up to 100 kids per show. I am intrigued by your projector! Very cool take on this problem. We use a Digitalis projector which works well with the larger dome. We looked into the Godome and though it is a great design, we felt it was too small for our needs. Isn't it cool to see the kids faces and the awesome looks inspired by the night sky? Nice article! Kids love planetariums, and it is a great thing to share with them. We have been touring portable planetariums to schools for more than twenty years and have shared the same experience you describe with thousands of schools. We call our program Skydome, and since we try to make it available to an entire school in one day we use a larger dome than yours. Ours is thirty feet across and allows up to 100 kids per show.
I am intrigued by your projector! Very cool take on this problem. We use a Digitalis projector which works well with the larger dome. We looked into the Godome and though it is a great design, we felt it was too small for our needs.
Isn’t it cool to see the kids faces and the awesome looks inspired by the night sky?

]]> By: admin http://andydolph.com/2010/04/23/under-the-sky-in-an-inflatable-planetarium/comment-page-1/#comment-608 admin Sun, 25 Apr 2010 22:44:53 +0000 http://andydolph.com/?p=412#comment-608 yep - you can sleep in one - it's about 15 feet across which is quite spacious inside - we can put 20 kids and 3 or 4 adults mostly laying on the floor for a show... check out that link to the MS WorldWide Telescope page - you really can build that dome yourself and have one at home - the only real difficulty is ceiling height. It's so much fun! Andy yep – you can sleep in one – it’s about 15 feet across which is quite spacious inside – we can put 20 kids and 3 or 4 adults mostly laying on the floor for a show…

check out that link to the MS WorldWide Telescope page – you really can build that dome yourself and have one at home – the only real difficulty is ceiling height.

It’s so much fun!

Andy

]]> By: admin http://andydolph.com/2010/04/23/under-the-sky-in-an-inflatable-planetarium/comment-page-1/#comment-1331 admin Sun, 25 Apr 2010 22:44:00 +0000 http://andydolph.com/?p=412#comment-1331 yep - you can sleep in one - it's about 15 feet across which is quite spacious inside - we can put 20 kids and 3 or 4 adults mostly laying on the floor for a show... check out that link to the MS WorldWide Telescope page - you really can build that dome yourself and have one at home - the only real difficulty is ceiling height. It's so much fun! Andy yep – you can sleep in one – it’s about 15 feet across which is quite spacious inside – we can put 20 kids and 3 or 4 adults mostly laying on the floor for a show…

check out that link to the MS WorldWide Telescope page – you really can build that dome yourself and have one at home – the only real difficulty is ceiling height.

It’s so much fun!

Andy

]]> By: Marie Benard http://andydolph.com/2010/04/23/under-the-sky-in-an-inflatable-planetarium/comment-page-1/#comment-603 Marie Benard Sun, 25 Apr 2010 18:54:51 +0000 http://andydolph.com/?p=412#comment-603 Wow! That's so COOL!!! I want one of those in my house! Could you sleep inside one of them? Wow! That’s so COOL!!! I want one of those in my house! Could you sleep inside one of them?

]]> By: Marie Benard http://andydolph.com/2010/04/23/under-the-sky-in-an-inflatable-planetarium/comment-page-1/#comment-1330 Marie Benard Sun, 25 Apr 2010 18:54:00 +0000 http://andydolph.com/?p=412#comment-1330 Wow! That's so COOL!!! I want one of those in my house! Could you sleep inside one of them? Wow! That’s so COOL!!! I want one of those in my house! Could you sleep inside one of them?

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