Re: [Phys-L] planetarium design

[John Denker <jsd@av8n.com>]

On 09/29/2015 03:25 PM, Larry Smith wrote:

> I’m lobbying for the inclusion of a permanent planetarium

> From the keen-grasp-of-the-obvious department:
  International Planetarium Society
    http://www.ips-planetarium.org/
  Development Resources
    http://www.ips-planetarium.org/?page=pdg
  "So You Want to Build A Planetarium"
    http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.ips-planetarium.org/resource/resmgr/pdf-pubs/soyouwanttobuildaplanetarium.pdf

Also:  There are companies that specialize in manufacturing
domes:
  http://astro-tec.com/portfolio/
  http://emerald-planetariums.com/en/emerald-planetarium/inflatable-planetarium-domes/tilted-3d-curved-dome-solutions-detail.html


> We anticipate using it for community outreach and school groups

That's smart.  OTOH, given the size of the community and
the local population density, we're not talking about
huge mobs of people.

Also note that planetariums these days double as IMAX 
theaters and laser lightshow/concert venues, so the 
domain is not limited to astronomy.

> it will be used as a regular classroom during most of the day.

If you go with digital projectors along the walls
(shooting across the diameter) you don't need to worry 
about a big klunky projector blocking sight lines from 
the back of the room.  This solution is more electronics-
intensive and less optics-intensive than the classic 
design.  I reckon it's the way of the future.

Make sure the architect has a clue about /acoustics/.
The room is useless as a classroom and everything else
if the acoustics are messed up.

> I’m thinking of a 35-seat room 

See if you can get ballpark estimates for the cost for
that size and a larger size.  I have no idea how cost
scales with size.

=============

Note that this needs to be "baked in" to the building
design at an early stage, if only because architects
run all sorts of utilities in the space between floors.
You can't ask for a double-high room at the last minute.

I assume you want a tilted dome and stadium-style
tiered seating.