STARLAB Astronomy Cylinders. . .

Milky Way Starfield

The Starfield Cylinder now includes an extraordinarily precise depiction of the Milky Way based on the beautiful and highly accurate all-sky panoramas created by Dr. Axel Mellinger. From July 1997 to April 2000 Mellinger used specialized tracking cameras and Kodak film to take 51 wide-angle photos of the northern and southern hemispheres. These precise images have been carefully adapted to the cylindrical starfield projection creating a night sky so detailed, one can easily pick out features like the Coal Sack and the Milky Way center, as well as the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds and Andromeda Galaxy.

The digitally-produced starfield simulates the night sky at any time, season or location on earth. Over 3,000 stars are projected to a limiting magnitude of 5.5 with the brightest stars individually lensed to produce intense pinpoint images. Star locations are accurate to within 1 minute of right ascension and 6 minutes of declination. Betelgeuse, Rigel, Antares, Spica, Arcturus, Capella and Pollux appear in full color. Twelve aperatures show the position of the sun throughout the year. For beginning and advanced astronomy. Item #SL-321, $1100 domestic.

Note: The Milky Way shown above is brighter than on the actual cylinder for web viewing purposes.

Urban Starfield

This scaled-down version of the traditional Starfield Cylinder accurately simulates the night sky in areas where light pollution screens out a significant number of stars. The Urban Starfield cylinder features 600 stars, with the 14 brightest stars individually lensed. Perfect for beginning students of astronomy and/or people who live in urban areas. Item #SL-324, $900 domestic.

Deep Sky Objects

Ninety-six deep sky objects on a background of 3000 stars (including many of the Messier objects) are coded for easy recognition. The cylinder shows variable and double stars, open clusters, nebulae and galaxies. Detailed identification numbers/symbols and the object's location in right ascension and declination, as well as its relation to a nearby constellation, are shown. Applications: An excellent training device for learning telescope use. Perfect for junior high, high school and college students with an astronomy background. Item #SL-327, $675 domestic.

Constellations

Using the well-known constellation identification system of H. A. Rey, this cylinder features the 48 major constellations, the ecliptic and celestial equator, colorfully displayed for the ultimate in visual retention. Applications: Star identification, planetary positions and the path of the sun and moon. Useful at all grade levels to facilitate rapid orientation for outdoor observations. Item #SL-322, $675 domestic.

Celestial Coordinates

A full projection of 3000 stars are displayed here against a background of the celestial coordinates, the ecliptic and the galactic equator. Right ascension is marked in 1 hour intervals, declination at 10° intervals, with precessional axis plus or minus 13,000 year increments. Extremely useful for angular measurement, location of faint celestial objects and spherical geometry. Applications: Physics, telescope use, positional astronomy, celestial navigation and precession at the junior high through college level. Item #SL-326, $675 domestic.

Click for larger view.

This exciting cylinder projects scaled representations of the sun and the principal bodies of the solar system in color with tables of basic statistics. The enormous distances between the planets are shown to scale. The cylinder also features a colored depiction of the Milky Way Galaxy, complete with spiral arms and a scaled distance line. Full supporting curriculum and suggested lesson plans are included. An indispensable aid for the teaching of astronomy for middle school and up! Item #SL-328, $675 domestic.

Click for larger view.

Click for larger view.

Click for larger view.

NEW! Radio Sky

The observable universe beyond the thin slice of the visible spectrum is often overlooked. The Radio Sky Cylinder immerses the audience in the radio universe, yielding a firsthand experience with a part of the electromagnetic spectrum of which most are unaware. The program consists of a radio view of the sky projected on the portable planetarium dome which can be removed and replaced with the visible sky view of the Milky Way. Newspapers and magazines, television and the internet, broadcast almost daily, news about discoveries in astronomy that have been made at radio, millimeter, infrared, ultraviolet, x-ray, and gamma-ray wavelengths. This cylinder can help students relate to these discoveries and become excited about them. For middle and high school students, this cylinder is accompanied by a 16- page curriculum with background information, a cylinder script and activities.
Item #SL-362, $1000 domestic.

Back to top.

Click for larger view.

NEW! Moon

The most prominent feature in the night sky, to even the youngest children, is the Moon. The Moon is the only night-sky object beyond the clouds that appears larger than a dot. Yet, it is greatly misunderstood. Why it changes its phase, how it moves through the heavens, what the surface features really are — these are all aspects of the Moon that can be readily observed but that are plagued with misconceptions.

The Moon Cylinder, in conjunction with its curriculum guide, will help you teach your students about phases, eclipses, the Moon’s motion through the heavens, and features on the Moon’s surface. You will be able to examine and compare sites of the Apollo Moon landings, compare the near and far sides of the lunar surface, and distinguish between such surface features as highlands, maria, craters, mountains, ejecta rays, and rilles.

The cylinder comes with a masking cover, which can be used to obscure parts of the cylinder from view, thus keeping your students on task. With the phase identification activity, the wall mask is designed to allow viewing of only one phase at a time. This allows you to unveil the correct phase once your students' phase predictions have been cast. Recommended for elementary and middle school students. Item #SL-369, $875 domestic.

Click to download the Moon Cylinder Flyer (80k).

Back to top.