Yes I have, and the equipment is specifically designed to project images onto curved domes. If you used regular projectors that are designed to take images from flat surfaces like film and project them, to a flat screen, well, that would seriously distort the relations of images objects on the curved target surface. Furthermore, planetarium projectors use curved image sources that have a light in the center!
A planetarium does not have a telescope. Planetariums are only theatres; observatories are what house telescopes, and their domes are designed to open and rotate to allow a telescope to move to all angles.
Just simplest possible engineering solution to have same distance from projector in order to have focused image at any point. Large screens are sphere segments or at least curved horizontally for the same purpose.
FE theory states stars are localized light, in or around the “firmament” or “dome”. In order to replicate that theory, a planetarium would require the surface to be of the same shape to accurately represent the stars in there respected positions. If the earth was a sphere and the universe was ever expanding and not curved, a planetarium could be shown on a flat surface.
The shape replicates the geometry of the sky. The sky above the spherical earth geometrically lies in a dome above your hemisphere.
I think it's actually the equipment. Have you ever been to one?
Yes I have, and the equipment is specifically designed to project images onto curved domes. If you used regular projectors that are designed to take images from flat surfaces like film and project them, to a flat screen, well, that would seriously distort the relations of images objects on the curved target surface. Furthermore, planetarium projectors use curved image sources that have a light in the center!
That's the projector equipment. But, the telescope is on a tract. All the movements are circular.
A planetarium does not have a telescope. Planetariums are only theatres; observatories are what house telescopes, and their domes are designed to open and rotate to allow a telescope to move to all angles.
Angles aren't round, but we use a protracter to measure them on 360°.
The very definition of angle requires circularity/roundness. A protractor is a tool built atop that definition.
That's a super cool way to put that concept.
Just simplest possible engineering solution to have same distance from projector in order to have focused image at any point. Large screens are sphere segments or at least curved horizontally for the same purpose.
By your logic, should they be flat like everything else in the universe?
FE theory states stars are localized light, in or around the “firmament” or “dome”. In order to replicate that theory, a planetarium would require the surface to be of the same shape to accurately represent the stars in there respected positions. If the earth was a sphere and the universe was ever expanding and not curved, a planetarium could be shown on a flat surface.
I hope this is sarcasm, lol.