Inside the World's Most Advanced Planetarium 133
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."
Re:Attention spans (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Attention spans (Score:5, Funny)
Not very interesting to today's kids unless there be lazer flashes and starships goin' round.
And Pink Floyd.
It's a trap! (Score:1, Funny)
The blue screen of death (Score:3, Funny)
would look pretty interesting on a huge spherical screen.
Maybe it can even one-up Beijing's BSoD.
Re:Home version (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Home version (Score:2, Funny)
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.
Around the same time you got that slashdot handle?
Ahww, crap (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Home version (Score:3, Funny)
My ceiling is my mother's main floor you insensitive clod!
A bigger planetarium? (Score:3, Funny)
(The class learns that the planetarium is closed. Arnold steps to the front of the bus.)
Miss Frizzle: Yes, Arnold?
Arnold: Isn't there, you know, someplace else you could take us?
Miss Frizzle: You mean, another planetarium?
Arnold: Well, sort of, but bigger!
Miss Frizzle: Bigger?
Arnold: You know, the big one.
Miss Frizzle: Oh ho! Arnold! Why didn't I think of that? T minus 5 and counting! Four, three, two, one, blastoff!
Janet: What's happening?
Class: A field trip!