Tag Archives: IBEX: The Search of the Edge of the Solar System

Harold, thanks for the memories—Vancouver’s (Canada) HR MacMillan Space Centre enters a new era as of Aug. 2, 2013

Generations of Vancouverites have enjoyed planetary light shows at the HR MacMillan Space Centre (still popularly known as the planetarium) powered by Harold, a Zeiss Universal Mark III planetarium.  Over 40 years old, the two-ton projector with very precise optics is a kind of mechanical computer which can show the positions of the sun, moon, planets and stars in a virtual sky so realistic, it rivaled, for many years, those produced by the latest generation of planetarium projectors.

Tonight (Friday, Aug. 2, 2013 at 7:30 pm), the Space Centre will be unveiling its new full-dome digital projection system (which cost $500,000) to the general public. From the July 29, 2013 HR MacMillan Space Centre media release,

The digital upgrade heralds [pun intended?] an exciting new era for the beloved Vancouver space institution and the expectation that this new state of the art system will astronomically increase its appeal as a BC entertainment destination. On par with digital systems already adopted by other planetariums across Canada, the Space Centre is debuting a Colorspace system with six video projectors to create a 4K image, replacing the 35mm slide-based full-dome system that’s been in use for decades.
“This new system is a quantum leap forward in technology. The old technology was based on racks of slide projectors, home-made special effects projectors working with the Zeiss star projector to create a show. Now we can do the entire show with the new digital projection system. It will be visually stunning with full-dome video motion whose quality will be many times greater than our current system and available nowhere else in BC,” said Rob Appleton, Space Centre executive director.
The Space Centre is also introducing two brand new programs with the digital system launch: The Searcher and IBEX: The Search of the Edge of the Solar System. A third program, an immersive music show with an autumn 2013 ETA [estimated time of arrival], is currently being designed by students from the Centre for Digital Media. A fourth and fifth show will be released in autumn 2013 and spring 2014 respectively.
“In addition and more importantly, the new digital system allows us to present live shows on astronomy that will blow people’s socks off. These shows will be guided by an interpreter but will also have the ability to be audience-driven – literally – with the use of an iPad,” added Appleton

Harold, the mechanical star projector, is not being rolled into oblivion yet. Starting Nov. 2013, Harold will return from vacation to work on a part-time basis.

To honour this extraordinary device for which so many Vancouverites feel great affection, the Space Centre is running a contest (from the news release),

The first digital shows premiere Friday, Aug. 2 at 7:30 and 9 p.m. Visitors who attend the new digital Space Centre shows from Aug. 2 to 16 will be entered in a draw to win one of 50 Harold
“Thanks for the memories” t-shirts. Visit www.spacecentre.ca for more information about the draw and show times.

Here’s the t-shirt design shown on the Space Centre website,

Enter to win 1 of 50 limited edition “Thanks for the memories” Harold t-shirts!  [downloaded from http://www.spacecentre.ca/]

Enter to win 1 of 50 limited edition “Thanks for the memories” Harold t-shirts! [downloaded from http://www.spacecentre.ca/]

Good luck on winning the “Harold’ t-shirt and I wish all the best for the Space Centre’s latest changes.