Ott Planetarium facts for kids
The Ott Planetarium is a special place where you can learn about space and stars. It's located at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, USA. The planetarium is named after Layton P. Ott and his family. Students from the university help run the planetarium. It's a fun place for everyone to learn, including the people who work there!
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Explore the Planetarium: What's Inside?
The Ott Planetarium has a cool star theater. This theater can fit 60 people. You sit under a big, round dome that is 9.1 meters (30 feet) wide. This dome is made of aluminum. A single projector in the middle of the room shines pictures and videos onto the dome. It feels like you are really in space! The theater also has amazing surround sound. This makes the experience even more real.
In 2004, the planetarium got a big upgrade. They replaced their old projector with a new system called the Konica Minolta Mediaglobe. This new system can show fulldome video. It replaced an old star projector and more than 30 other projectors. Soon after this upgrade, the planetarium staff started making their own space shows.
In 2006, the planetarium received a special grant. This money helped them create new educational programs. Part of the grant was used to buy powerful computers. These computers help them make amazing new star shows.
Experience a Star Show: Public Events and Field Trips
The Ott Planetarium offers exciting star shows to the public. You can come and watch these shows during their public events. The planetarium is also a very popular place for field trips. Schools and other groups often visit.
You can reserve the star theater for your class or group. It's also a great place for family outings. Groups like Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts love to visit too. Each year, over 20,000 people enjoy the planetarium's programs. This includes field trips, public nights, and other special events.
Original Space Productions: Shows Made Here!
The Ott Planetarium creates its own unique fulldome shows. They make sure these shows are scientifically correct. They also want them to be very good for learning.
Astro Otters: Learning About Astronomy
Astro Otters and Astro Otters Jr. are special programs. They teach about astronomy using different parts, or modules. The planetarium can change these parts to fit what different states or areas need to teach. The Astro Otters shows were made using a 3D computer program called Blender 3D.
Cosmic Journey: Exploring the Universe
Cosmic Journey is another amazing show. It uses real pictures from NASA's Great Observatories. These include the famous Hubble Space Telescope and the Spitzer Space Telescope. A scientist named Dr. Stacy Palen tells the story in the show. Cosmic Journey was also made with Blender 3D. It uses a cool effect that makes still images look like they are moving.
