The projector is in good condition, pretty close to its original form. We want to restore this innovative piece of astronomical history to once again share it with Chicago when the Adler reopens. The current owner was selling the land where the Zeiss was stored, and if we didn’t take advantage of this opportunity, it would likely have been lost forever. When we learned the whereabouts of our original Zeiss Mk II projector, we acted quickly to acquire it for future restoration and display. Image Credit: Kaufmann & Fabry Co./Adler Planetarium Archives FINDING THE ADLER’S ORIGINAL ZEISS PROJECTOR Image Caption: The Adler’s first director, astronomer Philip Fox (standing up at the projector’s control panel on the right) gets the audience ready for a demonstration with the Zeiss Mk II in the 1930s. Besides its immense historical value at state and national levels, it is an artifact that resonates with our local communities. The Illinois State Museum attempted to acquire the Zeiss projector in the late 1960s, but Adler had already made an agreement to sell it. Generations of Chicagoans and guests saw this machine in action at the Adler Planetarium. The Adler developed as a museum of astronomy and space science around the Zeiss projector. ![]() This projector is a key artifact for the history of astronomy, but it’s also a Chicago icon. Younger audiences will get to see an unfamiliar piece that, with its somewhat steam-punk look and feel-and appearance suggestive of a sci-fi alien robot-it is certain to spark their curiosity and imagination. For some people the Zeiss projector will help revive memories of past trips to the planetarium. The Zeiss Mk II is not just a marvel of science and technology, but also a work of industrial art. The classic Zeiss projectors integrated elements of the mechanical models of the solar system known as orreries, the older immersive planetariums such as the Atwood Sphere, and the “magic lantern”, a predecessor of the optical projectors that came to be used in movie theaters, classrooms, and lecture halls all over the world. The Zeiss projector changed the public understanding of astronomy. ![]() Image Credit: The Adler Planetarium Archives A GROUND-BREAKING ASTRONOMICAL MACHINE IN CHICAGO Image Caption: The Zeiss Mark II projector can be seen here in the Adler’s original domed theater in the 1930s. But earlier this year, Adler staff tracked it down and brought it back home. For decades the original projector was lost. As America’s first planetarium projector, and the first ever to operate outside Europe, it is an important piece of history. It was later replaced with a newer machine. This amazing machine awed generations of guests with its realistic depiction of the night sky and unusual appearance. When the Adler Planetarium opened in 1930 as America’s first planetarium, the centerpiece was a star projector made by the Carl Zeiss company of Germany, the Zeiss “Mark II”. Image Credit: The Adler Planetarium Archives Header Image: Planetarium guests attend a sky show with the Zeiss Mk II projector at the Adler c.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |