Central to the teaching of astronomy in college planetariums is the classic opto-mechanical star projector. The ZEISS SKYMASTER ZKP-4 LED, such as the one at Buffalo State College’s new Whitworth-Ferguson Planetarium easily rises to the challenge, as this is the exact reason for its existence. With numerous options available, from constellation figures to various grids, markers, and other didactic features, each projector has an amount of customization possible so that the device can best suit the needs of the specific facility which will use it.
CHALLENGES OVERCOME: This facility features a very tall spring line, so a custom pedestal was manufactured to provide a sturdy base and raise the projector to a point which would allow the integrated lift to reach the center point of the dome for proper projection. This project was largely installed during the pandemic when ZEISS personnel could not visit the US, so the team from Seiler provided the installation of this precision instrument.
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- Star projector with Milky Way in the Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium at SUNY Buffalo State College.
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- Astrophysics show modeling the sun in the Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium at SUNY Buffalo State College.
