Horizontal Panel Lamps

Operate the star projector with the horizontal control panel in the following ways:

Move the main projector around its three axes of motion.
Rotate the turntable.
Fade projector lamps up and down.

NOTE: For all star projector dimmer control knobs that fade projector lamps up and down, clockwise rotation (to the right) increases brightness, while counterclockwise rotation (to the left) decreases brightness. Setting the knob as far to the left as possible turns the projector off.

Location Label Objective Operation / Caution

Bottom row
far left Morning Glow White light or haze for just before dawn.
In the actual city sky, human-made twilight often reaches 30° above the horizon. Show the effects of such light pollution on the starry sky by keeping this projector on while bringing up the stars. Then fade it out slowly.

Bottom row
2nd from left Sunrise Color Projects the colors visible as the sun rises.
Rotate the knob at a steady speed.

Bottom row
3rd from left Dome Blue
(Moon Light) Blue light
Produces the brightness of a moonlit night; also used at twilight or dawn.

Bottom row
4th from left Dome White
(Daylight) For daylight
Also used to illuminate the room before or after a presentation.

Bottom row
5th from left
(near middle) Fixed Stars Projects the starry sky. The bright stars, nebulae and star clusters, and Milky Way all project together.
1. To prolong the life of the bulbs that project the fixed stars, always turn the fixed stars on slowly. Go from off to fully on in no less than two seconds.

2. To turn them on suddenly, in one quick turn of the knob, risks blowing out the bulbs and shocks them with a surge of current that decreases their longevity.

3. Once they are fully on, turn them down 1/10th of a turn or so, which allows the magnitude-differences to become more apparent.

Bottom row
5th from right
(near middle) Sun Projects the Sun
1. Fade away before sunset so that it will not project below dome.

2. Partially fade to calibrate the Sun's center with the dots on the ecliptic.

Bottom row
4th from right Moon Projects the Moon
Shows naked eye features and phases; controlled with annual motion.

Bottom row
3rd from right Planets Projects 5 naked eye planets
1. The knob controls all 5 planets simultaneously.

2. Planets will automatically rise and set at the horizon.

Bottom row
2nd from right Sunset Color Projects the colors seen at dusk.
Rotate the knob at a steady speed.

Bottom row
far right Evening Glow Produces the evening glow.
Rotate the knob at a steady speed.

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Welcome to the Planetarium web site provided by the OBU Planetarium. These pages have been written by the Planetarium Director, Kerry Magruder; the Unified Studies Natural Science Coordinator, Mike Keas; other OBU faculty; and the students who work in the planetarium.

These web pages may be printed, copied, and distributed for educational use by any non-profit educational group so long as they are not edited or altered in any way, nor distributed for profit, nor repackaged or incorporated into any other medium or product, and so long as full credit is given to the OBU Planetarium.

This page and many others from the same web site may be accessed from the OBU Planetarium Home Page.

Our web pages are never finished, but always under construction! The formatting of our web pages may be unintelligible if you are not using Netscape 2.0+. If you find a link that does not work, please tell us which link does not work--and which page you are on. Contact us by Email with general inquiries or suggestions. Thank you.

Page made with HyperNote and Claris Home Page

Kerry Magruder, Planetarium Director, Home page or Email

Mike Keas, Unified Studies Natural Sciences Coordinator, Home page

Primary Email: mike_keas@mail.okbu.edu
Secondary Email: Newtonkeas@aol.com

Related Web Pages:

Constellations Index Page
The OBU Planetarium's Basic Celestial Phenomena Home Page
OBU Planetarium Home Page
OBU Unified Studies Natural Science Home Page
Home Page of the OBU Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
General OBU Home Page

Location	Label	Objective	Operation / Caution
Bottom row far left	Morning Glow	White light or haze for just before dawn.	In the actual city sky, human-made twilight often reaches 30° above the horizon. Show the effects of such light pollution on the starry sky by keeping this projector on while bringing up the stars. Then fade it out slowly.
Bottom row 2nd from left	Sunrise Color	Projects the colors visible as the sun rises.	Rotate the knob at a steady speed.
Bottom row 3rd from left	Dome Blue (Moon Light)	Blue light	Produces the brightness of a moonlit night; also used at twilight or dawn.
Bottom row 4th from left	Dome White (Daylight)	For daylight	Also used to illuminate the room before or after a presentation.
Bottom row 5th from left (near middle)	Fixed Stars	Projects the starry sky. The bright stars, nebulae and star clusters, and Milky Way all project together.	1. To prolong the life of the bulbs that project the fixed stars, always turn the fixed stars on slowly. Go from off to fully on in no less than two seconds. 2. To turn them on suddenly, in one quick turn of the knob, risks blowing out the bulbs and shocks them with a surge of current that decreases their longevity. 3. Once they are fully on, turn them down 1/10th of a turn or so, which allows the magnitude-differences to become more apparent.
Bottom row 5th from right (near middle)	Sun	Projects the Sun	1. Fade away before sunset so that it will not project below dome. 2. Partially fade to calibrate the Sun's center with the dots on the ecliptic.
Bottom row 4th from right	Moon	Projects the Moon	Shows naked eye features and phases; controlled with annual motion.
Bottom row 3rd from right	Planets	Projects 5 naked eye planets	1. The knob controls all 5 planets simultaneously. 2. Planets will automatically rise and set at the horizon.
Bottom row 2nd from right	Sunset Color	Projects the colors seen at dusk.	Rotate the knob at a steady speed.
Bottom row far right	Evening Glow	Produces the evening glow.	Rotate the knob at a steady speed.