Imagine the lights dimming in a darkened theater, and then suddenly you're flying through the solar system -- surrounded on all sides by planets and stars.
Delta College Planetarium will begin removing its old projector system at the end of July, leaving only the Delta Digital 360 projection system in place. And when the planetarium reopens in late September or early October, more sell-out crowds will be expected.
The Delta College Planetarium was the first in Michigan and the first in the world to install the Sony digital 360-degree projection system earlier this year, says Susan Montesi, planetarium director and dean of learning centers and innovative programs. Since it was installed, sell-out crowds have flocked to the planetarium for shows like
The Enchanted Reef, which provides viewers with a 360-experience that makes viewers feel like they're underwater.
Instead of watching sharks swim from left to right on a screen, they're swimming around you, she says. And you feel like you're underwater. "It's better than IMAX."
The 360-degree view is unlike anything people have ever experienced, she says. In fact, the technology was only unveiled for commercial use earlier this year. Up until that time, it was used by the military for pilot training.
"This is the newest technology in theaters," Montesi says. "You will have a three-dimensional experience without having to wear 3-D glasses. It will be around you. And you will be able to feel like you are immersed in it. You actually feel motion."
From an educational standpoint, the 360 experience makes it easier to understand how the solar system works. In addition to its existing programs, the planetarium also will add a couple new shows when it reopens in the fall, Montesi says.
Stars of the Pharaohs will take viewers on a tour of the temples and tombs of ancient Egypt.
One World, One Sky will feature Big Bird from Sesame Street as he explores the night sky with Elmo and a Chinese muppet tour guide.
"Children will love it, Montesi says. "Big bird will be huge."
Writer: Jenny Cromie
Source: Delta College Planetarium, Susan Montesi
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