Posted by admin | Posted in Educational Toys | Posted on 04-12-2006
Tags: astronomy, home, planetarium, science, space
Home Planetarium
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Sega Homestar Home Optical Planetarium Projector USED $69.99 |
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Star Theater SE Home Planetarium $47.49 |
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Planetarium Projector Home Star Light Science Project $12.85 |
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Planetarium Projector Japan Gakken Home Star Lighting $12.85 |
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Homestar Pro 2nd Edition Home Planetarium +disc set $349.00 |
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Homestar Pro 2nd Edition Home Planetarium – Blue Earth $239.00 |
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Star Projector Laser Home Light Planetarium Show Gift $6.50 |
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Planetarium Projector Home Star Light Science Project $12.85 |
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Planetarium Projector Japan Gakken Home Star Lighting $12.85 |
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Sega Homestar PRO 2ND Home Planetarium Star Projector $207.99 |
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Uncle Milton 2002 Star Theater 2 Home Planetarium $35.95 |
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Uncle Milton 2002 Star Theater 2 Home Planetarium $26.95 |
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Homestar Pro 2nd Edition Home Star Planetarium $249.97 |
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Discovery Kids Home Planetarium Star Theater V3 NEW $19.99 |
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SEGA HOMESTAR PRO 2 Home Planetarium Sky Star Projector $234.99 |
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HOMESTAR SPA Bath Home Planetarium Sky Star Projector $99.99 |
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NEW STAR SPACE THEATER HOME PLANETARIUM GIFT IDEA $40.05 |
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12 Year Old Kid Astronomer Cecily Resnick Observing the Area Inside of Her Homemade Planetarium Photographic Poster Print 12 Year Old Kid Astronomer Cecily Resnick Observing the Area Inside of Her Homemade Planetarium is digitally printed on archival photographic paper resulting in vivid, pure color and exceptional detail that is suitable for any museum or gallery display. Finding that perfect piece to match your interest and style is easy and within your budget!… |
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1880 Signor Perini Planetarium Queen Baden-Baden Church $25.75 A full page from our copy of the GRAPHIC, an illustrated weekly newspaper dated 1880, the scan size is approximately 15.5 x 11 inches (395×280). All are genuine antique prints and not modern copies the Graphic is an illustrated newspaper and is a fine example of a historic social record of British and world events up to the present day. The Graphic is known for its coverage of the following subjec… |
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1949 NEW YORK PLANETARIUM METEORITE SUN ASTRONOMY $25.75 Full page from the Illustrated London News dated 1949, an illustrated weekly newspaper weeks date as shown on top of page, the size of each page is approximately 10 x 14.5 inches (260×370). All are genuine antique prints and not modern copies, the Illustrated London News is an illustrated magazine which was first printed in 1842 and is the finest pictorial example of a historic social record of Br… |
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Possini Euro Planetarium Energy Saving Pendant Chandelier $399.99 This wonderfully expressive pendant chandelier features a wide, disc-shaped shade. It’s also energy efficient, thanks to the use of CFL light bulbs. The contemporary retro look features a brushed nickel finish canopy and accents. Shade is in an ivory white color. 4 lights are nestled within the shade, making this design ideal for dining tables or wide counters. From the Possini Euro Design lightin… |
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Star Theater Home Planetarium Star Theater Home Planetarium with Interactive Meteor Maker Transform a darkened room into a 360° space theater! Watch as hundreds of stars, planets and constellations are projected onto the walls and ceiling of any standard size room. Let the exciting CD audio tour be your guide to the night sky. Control the interactive Meteor Maker and create streaking comets and meteors overhead. It’s like bei… |
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Discovery Channel Kids Star Theater V3 Home Planetarium $24.99 The device is capable of transforming any room into a 360-degree planetarium, since it projects hundreds of realistic stars and constellations on the walls and ceiling. Furthermore, the Star Theater V3 provides quite a high level of realism, since the star projection is accurate to season, month, day and hour.The projector also includes a built-in liquid-filled compass and glow light feature, and … |
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National Geographic Kids Planetarium Kit – Star Planetarium 3.0 with 1 Home Planetarium, CD Audio Tour and Stellarium Software Plus Instructions $49.99 Home Planetarium, project hundreds of stars and constellations on your walls and ceilings… |
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Planetarium Play Structure Kids Includes Telescope to View Star Moon Planet $88.99 Bazoongi Kids PS-PLT – Planetarium Play Tent Features: For ages 3 + Colorful planetarium play structure Glow in the dark stars made of photo luminescent plastic Frame constructed of patented fiberglass poles with protective plastic coating 100% spun-bonded fabric Easy entry and breathable mesh doors Telescope included Adult assembly required Overall dimensions: 49″ H x 36″ W x 66″ L… |
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Guide to Observing Deep-Sky Objects: A Complete Global Resource for Astronomers (Patrick Moore’s Practical Astronomy Series) $4.93 Guide to Observing Deep-Sky Objects is a reference book for amateur astronomers. It contains, for each constellation, a star chart showing the Bayer labels, a table for many of the stars in the constellation, along with their positions and magnitudes, and a table of the deep-sky objects in the constellation, with relevant observational data. Facing pages provide unique year-long graphs that show w… |
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Hammond star finder and home planetarium for the northern hemisphere … |
Home Planetarium Offers Fun Astronomy for Kids
Children are fascinated with space. From watching a rocket launch to looking for constellations and spotting meteorites, astronomy for kids can spark their interest and imagination in this amazing topic. Just going outside to look at stars and planets can be a thrill. It’s even better when kids can name stars and identify constellations.
A home planetarium is a great way to have fun exploring astronomy for kids. It doesn’t require a huge financial investment to get started. Kids can make a simple star projector using a recycled cylindrical container – such as a coffee can – along with a flashlight and support stand. Use a star chart to trace out overhead constellations and poke small holes in the container lid. Put a flashlight inside and place on an angled support stand. In a dark room, the homemade projector casts patterns from the lid. Larger holes represent brighter stars or planets.
Home planetarium kits are available to introduce astronomy for kids. These sky-gazing kits require assembly to create a curved paper projector. Adult support may be required to achieve the desired results. Kids love identifying constellations. Many children’s books tell the different mythology stories behind constellation names.
For more accurate stargazing, modify an inexpensive metal Earth globe. Carefully drill small holes, following a sky map. Semi-spherical maps are available for each hemisphere and can be wrapped around the globe for guidance. Different sized drill bits represent star magnitudes, with smaller bits (e.g. 45-48) for magnitude 0-1 stars all the way up to large bits (e.g. 80) for magnitude 5 giants. Make sure the globe can be opened and shut to access the light source. Mounting the projector can be a little challenging. Seeing the full sky requires tilting the globe and repositioning the light source, so a circular bracket might work. Handle the globe carefully when the light source is on, as metal heats up. Your home planetarium is ready to go. You now have a great tool to have fun with astronomy for kids. Amateur astronomers enjoy recognizing larger stars and clusters like the Pleiades.
For the child who dreams of a full planetarium experience, even greater ingenuity can yield wonderful results. Any large metal cylinder can be turned into a star projector. It takes time to drill holes representing more accurate and numerous stars. Commercially available lenses provide brighter stars. A powerful light source also increases visibility. Real enthusiasts can create adjustable mountings that correspond to latitude.
To achieve a curved projection surface in the home planetarium, try a dome tent with a dark tarp on top. For larger audiences, make a dome with curved metal struts and cloth. Some construction toys can form a geodesic dome. Drape a parachute on top. A perfect dome is extremely difficult to make, so be prepared for the next best thing. To explore astronomy for kids, experiment with different approaches. Simple projectors are a good starting point. Some families decide to get more ambitious and create a dedicated home planetarium. It’s a great way to study space as well as 3-dimensional shapes, light projection, and other concepts.
About the Author
Joe Kanooga is a father of two kids, a successful business owner and the author of numerous articles about home planetarium kits and many other science kits and learning toys. Click here to download our free astronomy for kids guidebook filled with helpful tips, ideas and information.
