I want to buy something that project stars/planets to the ceiling like a planeterium. (1 Viewer)

[DustinLC]

So everynight I lay sleepless on my bed looking up at the ceiling and wish there were stars there.

So where can I buy one of those projection that have realistic looking stars, space or planets? You know so you can get a feeling of being in a planeterium?

I tried the discovery store or similar stores with no luck.

 

[Grant B]

How about: Buy a star map -punch holes where the stars are and start playing around with a light underneath the map projecting it on your ceiling. make sure your light doesn't generate to much heat. You might have to use a dome effect to spread out the stars on your ceiling.
Or you could come over and we could drag my wife's huge Celestron 8 telescope to our roof and check out the real thing.
Make sure it's not foggy (Oh well there goes that idea!)

 

[Karl_Luph]

When I was a kid , we used to order stuff like this out of the old Edmund Scientific Catalog. I'm not even sure if they're still in business but they had a ton of stuff on telescopes and kits to make them. Plus other hard to find kits similar to what you're looking for. Good luck my friend!

 

[Bill Catherall]

One problem with punching holes in a map to try to project stars is that you won't get little round spots on the ceiling. The hole will act as a lens and project the shape of the light bulb filament. So you'll get a bunch of V-shaped stars.

My son and I saw a star chart projector in Toys R Us the other day, but it didn't show the sky as you'd really see it. It was more like a projection of a star chart with lines on it to show the constellations.

Have you thought of installing fiber-optics?

 

[DustinLC]

Yeah bill, I've seen those too.

I have a six month old who loves to look at light patterns on the ceiling and go oohh and ahhh so if I can get this thing I want, we both will be happy .

I've always loved the planeterium and love space. I have a very high ceiling and it's fairly big so would be prefect. I'm willing to spend some $ on it. Now I just need to find it.

 

[Jason_Els]

You're talking about those platic balls punched with holes and lightbulbs in the middle.

They suck. Light leaks, the pinholes elongate the light against flat ceilings and walls, it's not very bright, and you must have a dome-shaped ceiling for them to work even reasonably well.

The Star Theater 2 is actually better but not what you want. It reverses the light, making the background light and the stars shadows. For the money though you could try it out.

Best bet is to paint the ceiling black and then paint it with glow-in-the-dark paint. You could go the Pollock route and just fling it where ever you want or you could go the Michaelangelo route and painstakingly place each star in the correct place. Add some of those fun glow-in-the-dark stickers of planets and comets and stars from a planetarium shop and you have something reasonable.

If you have the dough, you could use fiber optic lights. These look really cool and you can make the stars different colors, they're self-luminous, and you can vary the intensity of the light.

If you're really rich then you can get your own Zeiss projector for a true planetarium experience.

Here are some links:

Various Inexpensive Home Planetaria

In the "If you have to ask......." catagory. Warning: Refurb units start at $175,000 (30 ft. dome not included but training is).

Or for the merely well-to-do...

Probably the most affordable of the good ones but will require extensive home renovation

Probably best to just have someone come in and design it for you.

If you're in the "Design on a Dime" mood, here's luminous paint!

And more luminous paint!

And finally...

Cool glow-in-the-dark stickers for your ceiling....

Saving the best for last. Check out the Night Sky Sticker Stencil kit.

 

[MarkHastings]

I know they actually sell something that projects stars. I can't ssem to find it on the web sites, but I always see something like it in those catalogs like Sharper Image or Brookstone. I don't remember how expensive it was, but it looked kind of cool.

I went the cheap way and bought those glow in the dark stars that they sell in the malls (ie. Spencer Gifts). Maybe Spencer Gifts has one of those planetarium thingys.

I can't think of the name right now, but there is that science store that is in many malls. Try there too.


EDIT: (I see since I was composing this message) that Jason beat me to it with those links Hmmmm??? Maybe I'll have to get me a few of those $175,000 thingys.

 

[Jason_Els]

Mark, I think you mean this.

Never seen one in use, might be worth a shot.

 

[DustinLC]

http://www.starmagic.com/store.cgi?0+1D2D001

This one seems promising and seems like the right thing but at $37, does it actually work well?

By the way, I notice that I made the mistake of saying I'm willing to spend $ based on Jason response . I meant I'm willing to spend up to say $200? Not $200,000 .

I have a baby so I don't even have time to pee so I'm not up to the task of any big project.

You guys have come up with some good links and ideas.