ZEISS Planetarium models since 1923

The Zeiss Planetarium - later referred to as Model I - was presented to the museum advisory board and the public for the first time from October to December 1923 in the Deutsches Museum in Munich, which was still under construction. It showed 4500 stars, the Milky Way, the names of important constellations as well as the sun, moon and the visible planets. The daily rotation was possible in three speed levels, as was the movement of the changing stars over the course of a year. The precession rotation was also already integrated.

The first planetarium model was limited to the local pole height of Munich.

Installations:

• Deutsches Museum Munich, Germany
• The Hague, Netherlands
• Düsseldorf and Liegnitz
  (Twin projector with modifications)

A projection planetarium of smaller dimensions, the Zeiss small planetarium, with a projection dome diameter of 6 m, was developed and installed at the end of the 1930s for navigation lessons at maritime and aviation schools. 13 projectors were put into operation by 1944. Seven more devices left Jena in 1945/46 as reparations.

Characteristics and special features:

• 4500 fixed stars
• Motorized daily rotation
• Projectors for the sun, moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn with manual positioning

Based on the first small planetariums for training in astronomical navigation, the largest series of planetarium projectors from ZEISS with more than 250 copies was created in Jena. They were relatively simply built. Customers could even assemble them themselves. The projector offers an excellent starry sky with around 5000 stars, which is still very popular in many places. The control panel is located directly on the projector, which means the contact between the projectionist and the visitors is particularly close. The series was delivered between 1952 and 1977.

Installations:

• 257 projectors around the world

The Zeiss Planetarium Model IV was a new construction in the mid-1950s. Modern supports replaced the typical ladder-like supporting structure of the first large planetariums. A total of 18 devices were installed, mostly in large cities, from 1957 onwards. Their service life of 30 to more than 50 years is remarkable. Some projectors from this model series are still in use today.

The Model V series includes modifications to improve the displays and significant extensions to the range of functions. These include extensions for displaying solar and lunar eclipses, a projector zoom for Saturn, extended horizon lights, a cloud projector and additional didactic displays.

Installations 1957 – 1982:

• America: New York, Venezuela, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Montreal, Mexico City, Atlanta, Morelia, Buenos Aires
• Europe: Bochum, Hamburg, United Kingdom, Munich, Vienna, Athens, Nuremberg, Muenster, Amsterdam, Berlin, Milan
• Asia: Tokyo, Japan, Bangkok

The SPACEMASTER space flight planetarium, first presented by ZEISS in Jena in 1967, was designed for medium dome sizes of 12.5 m to 17.5 m in diameter. The planetarium projectors of this series closed the gap between the Jena small and large planetariums. The space planetarium is a completely new design. The built-in fourth axis of movement (vertical axis) made it possible to simulate realistic space flight effects for the first time. It was the first planetarium projector in the world to introduce the option of automatic program control as standard. The sun, moon, planets, the world of fixed stars, comets, artificial satellites, shooting stars, numerous didactic projections, panoramas and motion sequences from extraterrestrial viewpoints followed the control commands of a perforated tape. Space flight planetariums were produced in series in the 1970s and 1980s. The projectors from the first series were installed in Brazilian planetariums and some of them are still in operation today.

Installations:

• America: Rio de Janeiro, Goiania, Santa Maria, Porto Alegre
• Europe: Olsztyn, Torun, Cottbus, Smoljan, Kharkov, Vilnius, Klagenfurt, Varna, Pleumeur Bodou, Kaluga
• Asia: Beijing, Baroda, Yerevan, Baghdad, Benghazi
• Australia: Brisbane

In 1967, ZEISS presented its redesigned large planetarium in Jena. New 1500 watt light bulbs increased the brightness of the stars with reduced diameters. The moon also received more light. The introduction of azimuth rotation (4th axis) made it possible to simulate space flights. The small projector globes now showed the constellations from the device. The control panel was also modernized. The UPP 23/7 model was the first large planetarium with a completely blue color scheme.

Moscow received the last device in the UPP series. The special feature is the first automatic control for a large planetarium.

Installations 1967 – 1975: 

• America: Vancouver, Quito, Bogota, Toronto, Calgary
• Europe: Moscow, Jena, Budapest
• Asia: Mumbai, Baku

The general development of control technology had a rapid impact on the SPACEMASTER model series. While the mechanical design remained largely untouched, several generations of automatic controls for the central planetarium from Jena followed. The original perforated tape was replaced by audio tape in the RFP-DP model in 1978. It made it possible to record control data and thus program commands directly with the operator. The first fully electronic control system based on microcomputers (RFP-DP2) followed in 1983. The projector received its third and final control update in 1988 (RFP-DP3), which also introduced a new ergonomic operating principle.

Installations:

• 24 projectors in Europe, North and South America, Asia and Africa.

• America: Champaign, Yonkers, Fort Lauderdale 
• Europe: Dwingeloo, Laupheim, Munich, Augsburg, Castellion, Kassel
• Asia: Seoul

The VI TD model is specifically designed for installation in large diameter inclined domes. It consists of the fixed star projector, which can be controlled in three axes, for displaying around 8,900 stars and the projectors for the sun, moon and planets with separate installation. The technological basis for the projector came from the Model VI. The new projectors for the sun, moon and planets had two axes of movement and an image rotation function. The joint astronomical positioning and movement was computer-controlled in real time. A classic control panel was used for manual operation. A programming option also allowed the automatic playback of functions.

Installations:

• Copenhagen, Denmark (1989)
• Taipei, Taiwan (1990)
   

The former "Forum of Technology" at the Deutsches Museum in Munich included conference rooms, art house cinemas, a café, an IMAX cinema and one of the largest planetariums in the country. Inaugurated in 1993, it was undoubtedly one of the most modern planetariums in the world. The 20-metre dome housed a computer-controlled 3D laser system, numerous slide, effect and video projectors and offered 12,000 watts of sound. The centerpiece, however, was the star projector, the only planetarium projector that was developed by ZEISS in Oberkochen, but also contained components from ZEISS in Jena. Jena contributed with the fiber optics for the star projection. A unique projector that worked tirelessly until the closure of the Forum der Technik in 2005.

UNIVERSARIUM is still the most powerful planetarium system from ZEISS. It is designed for large domes up to 50 m in diameter. The projector reflects the celestial phenomena realistically and precisely. The starry sky with 9,100 stars is shown using fiber optic projection systems. They ensure the brilliance of the stars: high brightness coupled with small diameters. Two special projectors show the brightest stars Sirius and Canopus. Variable stars are present with their main representatives Delta Cephei, Algol and Mira.

The projectors for the solar system bodies are separate from the star ball.

The astronomical movements are coordinated by software.

Two axes are used for spatial orientation, while the third axis takes image rotation into account. Zoom lenses allow the displayed objects to be enlarged while maintaining the same brightness.

The control is based on several microcomputers. All functions can be controlled interactively. Operation remains simple. All operating modes and functions are available with simple mouse clicks.

Installations: 

• Jena (1996)
• Valencia (1998)
• Jakarta (1998)
  
• Rio de Janeiro (1998)
• Muenster (1998)
• Oakland (2000)
• Sao Paulo (2005)
   

The UNIVERSARIUM Model IX projection system for domes from 18 m to 50 m in diameter is based on the Model VIII concept and offers additional features and functions. The Milky Way has been refined. A new technology for the display of gas nebulae, galaxies and star clusters perfects the simulation of the night sky. A new projector, rotatably mounted on the Starball, projects the celestial equator and ecliptic to show the precessional rotation of the Earth. Projectors have also been added to illustrate galactic coordinates, the nautical triangle, twilight and to simulate moonlight. The display of the planets and planetary moons is variable.

The conversion of the operating software to a workstation basis gives the Model IX a high level of reliability and enables remote diagnostics and program exchange via the Internet. ZEISS offers hardware and software updates for older devices, which ensures further operational security.

Since 2015, the metal halide lamps for the fixed star and planetary projections can be replaced with modern, efficient LED light sources. This further improves the luminosity of the starry sky and saves energy.

Installations: 

• America: New York, Saint Louis, Los Angeles 
• Europe: Bochum, Stuttgart, Vienna, Mannheim, Hamburg, Lisbon, Moscow, Berlin, Heilbronn
• Asia: Beijing, Nagoya
   

SPACEGATE was a multi-channel, digital projection system for domes from 6 m to 15 m in diameter, first introduced in 2005. The projection was from the center of the dome. SPACEGATE was available in two versions: DUO – the two-channel projection for small domes and QUINTO – five channels for larger or more demanding installations.

ZEISS has been building core components for digital projectors since 1997. These were used in the SPACEGATE in-house development. DIGIGON lenses specially developed by ZEISS ensured exceptionally high image sharpness and uniform illumination.

Of course, the user benefits from being able to contact the projector manufacturer directly for maintenance instead of having to rely on an intermediary.

Installations 2006-2016: 

• 30 Installations in North and South America, Asia and Europe

Since 2007, ZEISS has also been configuring and supplying fulldome systems with standard digital projectors from several suppliers. ZEISS sometimes integrates its own lenses and always uses its own lens solutions to optimize projection quality. The selection of projectors and the configuration of the respective system is always based on customer-specific requirements. The spectrum of projection solutions ranges from single-lens systems (fisheye projection) to 8k+ stereo projection. The projector selection and configuration takes into account contrast and brightness requirements, serviceability and is based on the customer's available budget.

In addition to projectors and lenses, the hardware and software used also influence the quality of the fulldome system. Here too, ZEISS relies on professional suppliers and its own solutions.

Cooperation partners: 

• BARCO
• CHRISTIE
• DELL
• JVC
• NAVITAR
• SONY
• u.a.
   

ASTERION is designed as an opto-mechanical planetarium projector, which shines as a hybrid component in conjunction with a digital full-dome projection system with very bright and point-shaped stars. ASTERION is particularly compact and elegant, so it saves space and the projector does not obscure the view of the dome. LED light sources and fiber optics offer exceptional energy efficiency. ASTERION fits perfectly into domes with a diameter of 8 m to 12 m, ASTERION Premium is the ideal projector for larger domes with a diameter of up to 18 m.

Special projectors for the sun, moon and planets are optional for the smaller systems, with ASTERION Premium included in the standard package.

Installations:

• Potsdam
• Seoul
• Munich
• South America