Hayden Planetarium, Space science center in Manhattan, United States.
The Hayden Planetarium is a space science facility within the American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan that shows visitors astronomical phenomena through a spherical theater. The Space Theater uses a domed ceiling as a screen where digital projection systems display stars, galaxies and other objects of the universe.
The building opened in 1935 with funding from Charles Hayden and the Reconstruction Finance Corporation to advance public understanding of space exploration. After a complete renovation it reopened in 2000, with the modern design created by architect James Stewart Polshek.
The name honors Charles Hayden, whose donation made the first version of the building possible and whose vision was to bring the night sky closer to children. Today school groups and families come regularly to learn about planets and stars, while the shows try to make science understandable for all ages.
The facility is located within the American Museum of Natural History and is open every day from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM, with wheelchair access throughout the building. Shows typically last between 20 and 30 minutes, so plan enough time for one presentation and exploring other museum areas.
The star projector in the Space Theater is a Zeiss Mark IX that can show up to 9000 individual stars at once while reproducing their brightness and color. The device weighs over a ton and hangs in the middle of the dome where it rotates slowly to represent the movement of the sky.
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