User:Mu301/Planetarium

Historic and modern projectors for small planetariums.

Spitz
Spitz patent

Model A series (1947- 1960) production run from The Spitz Model A Planetarium
 * Model A - About 50 of these units were made
 * Model A-1 - About 40 of these units were made
 * Model A-1 Console Type - About 100 of these units were made
 * Model A-2 Console Type - About 100 of these units were made

The Spitz planetarium projector (installed 1953) at the Cormack Planetarium, Museum of Natural History, Roger Williams Park in Providence, USA. This model is a variant of the Model A designed for the U.S. Navy called the Spitz NAVEXOS P-954, Celestial Identification Trainer.

The quote below is from My new catch, a Spitz NAVEXOS P-954, Celestial Identification Trainer by pielock373, Mar 24 2010. Images from the post:   

Some other quick Spitz facts from a Spitz installation list document I have recently obtained dated 10-28-65. As of that date; here are the production numbers for all model A series machines.


 * 20 Model A's (much less then I thought it would be)
 * 60 Model A-1's
 * 32 Model A-2's (Interesting that the A-2 run was half the size of the A-1's)
 * 8 P-954 Trainer
 * 8 Model A-3's (This is 3 more then I previously new about)
 * 142 A-3p's (Please note there were more then this made but this is how many as of 10-28-65. This model line was made until around 1970 and exceeded 200 units)

Zeiss
Model ZKP (1) (1951)

Skymaster Model ZKP 2 (1977)

The ZKP 2 has a control console that measures 1100mm wide by 500mm deep. It is 700mm high and weighs 100kg. The keys and potentiometers on the panel allow manual control of the lamps and motors during a presentation. The (optional) automatic control system is operated using menu-driven software running on an IBM AT-compatible personal computer. See Zeiss publication No. 16-204a-2 for more information.

Skymaster Model ZKP 3 (1993)

The light source for the star images is two 200W 24V Halogen lamps. The brightness of the lamp can be varied from 0 - 100 percent at a rate as slow as 40 seconds, and can be controlled to a resolution of 0.2 seconds. The base of the lamp is mounted to a heat sink, and the star ball is cooled by two fans. The automation system runs on an NCR 486. The control software is named Skypost III. The PC contains an embedded Z80 processor on an I/O card which forms the interface to the control electronics. This model can be upgraded to a ZKP 3B.

Skymaster Model ZKP 4 (2012)

Other
Wenberg patent (US Navy)