Stella our Spitz STP Projector being Restored

Some interesting facts about the STP projector. It was the first commercial projector to have a third (yaw) axis and the very first to be computer controlled. It projects over 4,000 stars to magnitude +5.8 and all stars greater than 3.5 are projected using 260 separate lenses. It uses two 75 watt arc lamps for light sources for projection on a 40 to 65 foot dome. There are 10 analogs versus 7 as in the popular A3P. There is a separate analog for the Earth which was needed because this was the very first projector that would allow you to place the audience on the moon or other location in outer space. There are also two analogs for the sun (mean and true) which makes demonstrating the equation of time not only possible but also easier to visualize.

Photograph of Stella and our Planetarium Collection

Some more interesting facts about the STP projector. Each instrument requires 43 motors, over 12 miles of electrical wiring and more than 6,000 electrical connections. Total package price installed was around $ 146,575.00 with a 40 foot dome way back in 1963. This projector also has zooming earth and zooming moon projectors installed so during a planetarium program they could take visitors on a space flight and safely return.

Museums' Spitz A-1 Planetarium Projector

This projector may have been used at the University of Michigian. This one is Serial Number #131 and Code # A1 300. It is one of about only 40 ever made before they started making the A2 and I beleve this one was built in 1953.

Closeup Spitz A-1 Planetarium Projector

Pictured accessories include the astronomical triangle used for teaching celestial navigation on the left. Also to the left is the geo-centric earth projector. In the back, barely visible, is the meridian projector and also the twilight projector. The co-ordinate projector is on the far right and the planet projectors between it and the dodecahedron star globe.

Museums' Goto S-2 Planetarium Projector

Shown here is the Museums very first projector, purchased from a private party and built in 1959. This is a fully optical projector using 32 lenses to project the stars on a 24.6 foot dome. This projector projects about 2500 stars and all the visible planets and moon phases. According to Goto records it is one of only 3!

Closeup Photograph of the Goto S-2

Museums' Goto Mercury Planetarium Projector

This historic and rare projector came from Holt Planetarium located at the Lawrence Hall of Science, UC Berkeley. The projector was built in 1965 and displays around 1800 stars. Originally it was sold to UCLA for around eight thousand dollars. In 1973 it moved to UC Berkeley where it operated until February 29th 2008 where it entertained and educated over 500,000 people before being retired. According to Goto this projector is 1 of only 12 worldwide. After a 35 year absence it has now been returned to Southern California and moved to the museum for display and occasional use. This projector has now been offically adopted by the Home Planetarium Association as their favorite planetarium projector in our collection.

Another shot of the Goto Mercury Planetarium Projector

Goto Venus Planetarium Projector

Museums' Venus Planetarium Projector

This model Venus Planetarium Projector was manufactured from 1965 thru 1974 and projects optically about 3,200 stars and was the next step up from the Mercury projector. We believe there are only about 28 of them left. Sold mostly to high schools in the USA their original selling price was around $ 7,500.00 and they were built by Goto Optical but distributed here in the states by Viewlex.

JR working on Goto Venus Planetarium Projector

Venus Planetarium Projector and Homebuilt Test Console

Museums' Minolta Series II B Planetarium Projector

The Planetarium Projector Museum is indeed fortunate and very proud to receive the donation of a Viewlex Minolta Series II B planetarium projector. This projector is a generous donation to the Museum from the Robert J. Novins Planetarium located in Toms River New Jersey.

Museums' Minolta Projector & Console

This 1974 vintage planetarium projector originally cost $ 110,000.00 and is capable of optically generating over 4,000 stars on a 40 foot dome. The projector arrived at the Museum in late August 2008 and we just completed her restoration. Pictures of the restoration process on this marvelous projector have been posted on the Planetarium Picture Scrap Book pages of this website.

Minolta Projector after Restoration at the Museum

Museums' Spitz A3P Planetarium Projector

This projector was originally sold to and used in the Tessman Planetarium at Santa Anna College, California. The A3P instrument was sold mostly to colleges and schools in the 1960s and 70s. This one has a Spitz serial number of 3275. The A3P is one of the most common of all the commercial planetarium projectors ever made. It projects about 1500 stars and uses both pinholes and also lens projection for the brighter stars and was designed for a 24 to 40 foot dome. We believe there were about 500 model A3P/A4 types produced by Spitz when it was mostly replaced by the model 512/1024 in 1973.

Museums' Spitz A3P and Nova Projectors

Haromic Reed Nova III

Museums' Nova III Planetarium Projector

This came to the Museum from a high school in Kentucky which was the main market for this type of projector. This projector was released in 1963 and originally sold for two thousand dollars. It was built by the Harmonic Reed Company and later by Spitz in 1971. We believe there were less than 200 made and it projects about 650 stars.

Apollo III Planetarium Projector

Museums' Goto Apollo III Planetarium Projector

This is the Museums latest acquistion which arrived late December 2008. This projector comes from Mr. Jon Elvert and is one of about 300 made and projects around 750 stars. This projector has a strong resemblence to the Harmonic Reed Nova III and was also introduced during the 1960s.

"From the optical wizardries of industrial giants to your corner hardware store -
- from scientific legends to enthusiasts tinkering in garages and barns ..
.. these worlds meet, mingle, and all share one common purpose - the stars."
Gary Likert - Home Planetarium Association

Museums' Emmons HPA Planetarium Projector

This one of a kind projector has been donated to the museum from the Home Planetarium Association and Mr. Gary Likert. The projector was built in 1995 and features the second to the last Emmons starball ever produced. This projector will provide inspiration and serves as an excellent example of what can be done in the home by talented individuals. This projector is continually undergoing reconstruction and we post new pictures frequently. When completed this machine will then proudly take its place along side the commercial planetarium projectors and take its place in history as well.

Museums' Emmons HPA Projector as it appears today 10/12/2008

Museums' Spitz-NASA Apollo Program Projector

This one of a kind projector was built by Spitz under contract from NASA for the Apollo Space Program. The projector was computer controlled to recreate space craft movements in space and to simulate a trip to the moon. The projector was sent to MIT which in turn made the navigation computer for the Apollo Project. After the Apollo Program ended it was sent to Boston University where it served as their planetarium projector for 20 years. The projector is capable of projecting close to 3,000 stars and has a 24 inch starball which may be the largest pinhole starball ever made. This also served as the prototype for the Spitz STS planetarium projector. Due to the historical significance of this planetarium projector the museum was indeed fortunate to be able to purchase it and would like to thank Steve Pielock for the background information and also his help in obtaining it.

Museums' NASA Electron Microscope

Ever wonder what happened to the RCA electron microscope that was used by Dr. Delbert E. Philpott to check the Apollo moon rock samples for life? Well, it has arrived here at the Museum in late April 2009 along with space flown samples. More pictures and details will follow.

We are Considering a new Book Project?

A picture book of planetarium projectors and planetaria. Do you have pictures to contribute?
Please be sure and check out the pictures in the Planetarium Picture Scrap Book pages of this website.

Spring and Summer ads placed in: "The Great Western Observer"There are also articles on pages 16 and 31 about the Museum. Index of issues may be found here: "Great Western Observer Index"Museums Fall ad and Winter ad for GWO are below:

PLANETARIUMS GONE WILDShort 60 Second Video Clip

Demonstration of the movements of the Goto S-2 and Mercury Projectors.

The Growing Collection of Planetarium Projectors

A 3-D Stereo Photograph

Crossed eyed viewing - Look at left image with right eye and right image with left eye.
A third 3-D color stereo image will form in center.

A 3-D Stereo Photograph

This 3-D anaglyph image requires standard Red (left eye) / Blue (right eye) 3-D glasses.
More exciting 3-D projector images can be found here: 3-D Stereo Planetarium Projectors

PLANETARIUM PROJECTORS IN 3-D

MUSEUM EXHIBTS MAY INCLUDE:

• Spitz A-1 Planetarium Projector

• Spitz A3P Planetarium Projector

• Spitz A3P Planetarium Projector Operator Console

• Spitz STP Planetarium Projector and Relay Racks

• Spitz STS Prototype Planetarium Projector

• Goto S-2 Planetarium Projector

• Goto Apollo III Planetarium Projector

• Goto Mercury Planetarium Projector

• Goto Venus Planetarium Projector

• Goto M-1 Planetarium Projector Star Globes

• Minolta Series II B Planetarium Projector

• Minolta Series II B Planetarium Projector Operator Console

• Harmonic Reed Nova III Planetarium Projector

• Homemade Emmons-HPA Planetarium Projector

• Conic Copernican Helio-Centric Projection Orrery

• Spitz Copernican Helio-Centric Projection Orrery

• Goto Copernican Helio-Centric Projection Orrery

• Viewlex Copernican Helio-Centric Projection Orrery

• 90mm f-10 Meade ETX Maksutov Telescope

• 4 inch f-15 Unitron Refractor Telescope

• 6 inch f-10 Vernon Refractor Telescope

• 6 inch f-6 Celestron Refractor Telescope

• 8 inch f-10 Meade SCT Telescope

• 8 inch f-6 Meade Newtonian Telescope

• 8 inch Homemade Heliostat

• Large Radio Telescope

• 138 pound Museum Quality Meteorite

Member: Planetarium Network
Member: Pacific Planetarium Association
Member: The Home Planetarium Association
Member: Bear Valley Astronomical Association
Member: Rocky Mountain Planetarium Association

INTERESTED in Planetarium History?
Check out these links:

History of the Adler Planetarium

History of the Buhl Planetarium

INTERESTED in building your own Planetarium?
Check out these links:

Home Planetarium Association

Observatory Central: Planetariums as a Hobby

Please click on the picture scrapbook link below for the latest updates as well as many more interesting photographs. We believe that almost all photographs on this site are copyright free and may be copied and used freely to advance interest in Science, Engineering, Astronomy and Planetariums everywhere. Please check with us to verify before publication and for credit information. In many cases higher resolution images may be available.

Please call Owen at 909-806-5698 for more information or at: ophairis[at]hotmail.com.

Have a Planetarium Projector to Donate or Sell Us?

Please feel free to contact Owen Phairis at: ophairis[at]hotmail.com

Owen Phairis, P.O. Box 3400, Big Bear Lake, California 92315
(909) 806-5698



Planetarium Picture Scrap Book


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