Ott Planetarium facts for kids
The Ott Planetarium is a special place at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, USA. It's like a giant movie theater where you can learn all about space! The planetarium is named after Layton P. Ott and his family. Students from the university help run the shows and teach visitors. It's a fun place for everyone to learn about stars and planets.
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What is the Ott Planetarium Like?
The Ott Planetarium has a special star theater. It can seat 60 people under a big, round dome. This dome is about 9.1 meters (30 feet) wide. A single projector in the middle of the room shines pictures and videos onto the dome. This makes you feel like you are really in space! The theater also has amazing surround sound.
How Did the Planetarium Get Its Cool Projector?
In December 2004, the Ott Planetarium got a big upgrade. They replaced their old 1969 star projector with a new Konica Minolta Mediaglobe system. This new system uses "fulldome video." It's much more advanced than the old projector and the many slide projectors they used to have. Soon after this upgrade, the planetarium staff started making their own digital shows.
Funding for New Educational Programs
In 2006, the planetarium received a special grant of $1 Million. This money was given by the U.S. Congress to help them create new educational programs. Part of this money was used to buy powerful computers. These computers help the staff make amazing new star shows.
What Kind of Star Shows Can You See?
The Ott Planetarium offers many star shows for everyone to enjoy. They have public events where anyone can come and watch. The planetarium is also a very popular place for field trips. Schools, groups, families, Boy Scouts, and Girl Scouts can all reserve the theater. Each year, over 20,000 people visit the Ott Planetarium!
Original Shows Made at the Planetarium
The Ott Planetarium creates its own unique fulldome shows. They make sure these shows are scientifically correct and great for learning.
Astro Otters: Learning About Space
Astro Otters and Astro Otters Jr. are special programs that teach about astronomy. They are made of different parts, or "modules." This means the planetarium can change the order of the modules to fit what different schools need to learn. The Astro Otters shows were created using a 3D computer program called Blender 3D.
Cosmic Journey: Exploring the Universe
Cosmic Journey is another amazing show. It features real images from NASA's Great Observatories. These include pictures from the Hubble Space Telescope and the Spitzer Space Telescope. An astrophysicist named Dr. Stacy Palen tells the story in the show. Cosmic Journey was also made with Blender 3D. It uses a cool effect called the "Ken Burns Effect" to make still pictures look like they are moving.
