• A-35 • Set-up/Operation
see everything without blocking the view of other visitors. When the program is over,
move the wheel chair out of the tunnel and position it next to the projector. Allow the
rest of the group to leave via the entrance tunnel and then remove the person in the
wheelchair the same way that you brought them in.
Seating Inside the STARLAB Dome
Placing carpet squares on the oor to establish a seating pattern helps to make things
more orderly for classes entering the STARLAB. Not only do these pads help to dene
each student’s space, but also they make sitting on a cold, hard oor a bit more
comfortable. Carpet squares can usually be obtained from large carpet stores who
use them as samples. Quite often, they will donate old samples to schools and other
educational establishments. When they do charge for them, they usually cost about a
dollar or two each. One typical seating pattern is shown in the diagram at right.
Accessory Lighting Inside the STARLAB Dome
There are many occasions where you might want additional lighting in the planetari-
um. In order to perform activities like reading star maps and completing worksheets,
it is very helpful to use an auxiliary light source. One system that works well for the
STARLAB planetarium involves using one or more clamp-on photo lights plugged
into tabletop or hand-held dimmers. Both the lamps and the dimmers are available
at most hardware and home improvement stores. The clamp-on lamps should have
reectors to direct the light downwards to provide light for reading and writing. This
allows images to still be seen on the dome while the lights are on. A second light
can be positioned with the reector pointing upward for general room lighting and
for simulating the Sun. These additional lights also make it easier for visitors to see
in the entrance tunnel when they enter and exit the dome. The auxiliary lights can
be clamped directly to the top of the projector stand or to a board placed under the
projector that hangs over the side of the stand. Using the dimmer allows you to adjust
the light to the proper level for each activity and it’s best to use 40-watt bulbs.
You can vary the arrangement of clamp-on lamps and the color of the light bulbs to
suit the needs of the particular lesson that you are conducting. With a blue bulb and
the reector pointing upward, you can simulate a daytime sky. To make it easier for
your students to read while they are in the dome, you can use a red bulb with the
reector pointing down.
A six-volt camping lamp or lantern is a perfect addition to help provide extra lighting
in the tunnel when people enter and exit the dome. By placing it on the oor at the
inner end of the tunnel, people can be directed to “walk toward the light” without trip-
ping over the material or wires. Adding an opaque top cover on these types of lamps
turns them into an excellent reading lamp for you to use as well.
Many experienced planetarium users have experimented with far more complex
lighting systems that usually involve hanging small lights from the dome itself. Some
variations of this include using Christmas tree lights, tube lighting (as found along
aisles in movie theaters), or 5-watt bulbs in lightweight, clip on sockets with small
metal reectors. Extension cords plugged into a tabletop or hand-held dimmer, can
be extended out to the light positions and taped to the oor to prevent people from
tripping over them.
Lights can be attached to the dome either by Velcro or by aps made from strips of
duct tape. The duct tape is folded over so that most of the tape sticks to the dome
wall, but leaving a 2 to 3 inch long ap hanging down. Two more strips of duct tape
placed horizontally over the rst piece adds more strength to the attachment. An
optimal height for securing the aps is about 1.3 meter (4 feet) above the oor.
