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John C. Wells Planetarium

James Madison University, 800 South Main Street

Harrisonburg, VA 22801

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540- 568-6211

Characterizing it as an astronomical challenge may be a bit of a stretch, but operating the John C. Wells Planetarium before its $1.3 million renovation in 2007 was anything but easy.

Fixing the broken parts was not possible in a lot of cases because the parts of the 1970s-era system had become obsolete. Now running a state-of-the art hybrid projection system, those concerns seem light years in the past. When the planetarium reopened in September 2008, it offered visitors a total-immersion-in-space-experience available at only three other planetariums in the United States.

"We're one of the few planetariums in the world with a digital movie capability and a GOTO Cronus star ball that allows us to project an authentic view of what the night sky would look like on any given day at any given location on the earth," said planetarium director Shanil Virani.

While the hybrid system is different than IMAX technology, which some visitors have compared it to, the new GOTO Chronos instrument and Digistar 3 projection system can provide some eye-opening effects along with some advanced teaching tools. "We can account for light pollution, so what I normally do, I bring up the star ball with full light pollution and people recognize the familiar constellations and that's what they're used to seeing," Virani said. "When we remove the light pollution, that's the first 'ooh, ah' moment. Everytime."

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AARP Events for Robinsonville

AARP Events for Robinsonville

• AARP Live: Cybercrime and Fraud Prevention Tips, 4/21/25

  Monday, Apr 21, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. CT

  Online Event

• AARP Live: Decluttering for Today and Tomorrow , 5/19/25

  Monday, May 19, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. CT

  Online Event

• AARP Live: Social Security: What’s Right For You? , 6/16/25

  Monday, Jun 16, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. CT

  Online Event

View All AARP Events

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											<div>James Madison University, 800 South Main Street</div>
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												<span>22801</span>
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						<p>Characterizing it as an astronomical challenge may be a bit of a stretch, but operating the John C. Wells Planetarium before its $1.3 million renovation in 2007 was anything but easy.</p>
<p>Fixing the broken parts was not possible in a lot of cases because the parts of the 1970s-era system had become obsolete. Now running a state-of-the art hybrid projection system, those concerns seem light years in the past. When the planetarium reopened in September 2008, it offered visitors a total-immersion-in-space-experience available at only three other planetariums in the United States.</p>
<p>"We're one of the few planetariums in the world with a digital movie capability and a GOTO Cronus star ball that allows us to project an authentic view of what the night sky would look like on any given day at any given location on the earth," said planetarium director Shanil Virani.</p>
<p>While the hybrid system is different than IMAX technology, which some visitors have compared it to, the new GOTO Chronos instrument and Digistar 3 projection system can provide some eye-opening effects along with some advanced teaching tools. "We can account for light pollution, so what I normally do, I bring up the star ball with full light pollution and people recognize the familiar constellations and that's what they're used to seeing," Virani said. "When we remove the light pollution, that's the first 'ooh, ah' moment. Everytime."</p>
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												<span>22801</span>
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						<p>Characterizing it as an astronomical challenge may be a bit of a stretch, but operating the John C. Wells Planetarium before its $1.3 million renovation in 2007 was anything but easy.</p>
<p>Fixing the broken parts was not possible in a lot of cases because the parts of the 1970s-era system had become obsolete. Now running a state-of-the art hybrid projection system, those concerns seem light years in the past. When the planetarium reopened in September 2008, it offered visitors a total-immersion-in-space-experience available at only three other planetariums in the United States.</p>
<p>"We're one of the few planetariums in the world with a digital movie capability and a GOTO Cronus star ball that allows us to project an authentic view of what the night sky would look like on any given day at any given location on the earth," said planetarium director Shanil Virani.</p>
<p>While the hybrid system is different than IMAX technology, which some visitors have compared it to, the new GOTO Chronos instrument and Digistar 3 projection system can provide some eye-opening effects along with some advanced teaching tools. "We can account for light pollution, so what I normally do, I bring up the star ball with full light pollution and people recognize the familiar constellations and that's what they're used to seeing," Virani said. "When we remove the light pollution, that's the first 'ooh, ah' moment. Everytime."</p>
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							<span>Harrisonburg</span>,
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										<a href="http://www.jmu.edu/planetarium/about.shtml" target="_blank">Visit Website</a>
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												<div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 540- 568-6211</div>
				
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						<p>Characterizing it as an astronomical challenge may be a bit of a stretch, but operating the John C. Wells Planetarium before its $1.3 million renovation in 2007 was anything but easy.</p>
<p>Fixing the broken parts was not possible in a lot of cases because the parts of the 1970s-era system had become obsolete. Now running a state-of-the art hybrid projection system, those concerns seem light years in the past. When the planetarium reopened in September 2008, it offered visitors a total-immersion-in-space-experience available at only three other planetariums in the United States.</p>
<p>"We're one of the few planetariums in the world with a digital movie capability and a GOTO Cronus star ball that allows us to project an authentic view of what the night sky would look like on any given day at any given location on the earth," said planetarium director Shanil Virani.</p>
<p>While the hybrid system is different than IMAX technology, which some visitors have compared it to, the new GOTO Chronos instrument and Digistar 3 projection system can provide some eye-opening effects along with some advanced teaching tools. "We can account for light pollution, so what I normally do, I bring up the star ball with full light pollution and people recognize the familiar constellations and that's what they're used to seeing," Virani said. "When we remove the light pollution, that's the first 'ooh, ah' moment. Everytime."</p>
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						<p>Characterizing it as an astronomical challenge may be a bit of a stretch, but operating the John C. Wells Planetarium before its $1.3 million renovation in 2007 was anything but easy.</p>
<p>Fixing the broken parts was not possible in a lot of cases because the parts of the 1970s-era system had become obsolete. Now running a state-of-the art hybrid projection system, those concerns seem light years in the past. When the planetarium reopened in September 2008, it offered visitors a total-immersion-in-space-experience available at only three other planetariums in the United States.</p>
<p>"We're one of the few planetariums in the world with a digital movie capability and a GOTO Cronus star ball that allows us to project an authentic view of what the night sky would look like on any given day at any given location on the earth," said planetarium director Shanil Virani.</p>
<p>While the hybrid system is different than IMAX technology, which some visitors have compared it to, the new GOTO Chronos instrument and Digistar 3 projection system can provide some eye-opening effects along with some advanced teaching tools. "We can account for light pollution, so what I normally do, I bring up the star ball with full light pollution and people recognize the familiar constellations and that's what they're used to seeing," Virani said. "When we remove the light pollution, that's the first 'ooh, ah' moment. Everytime."</p>
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		<header><h1 class="article-headline">John C. Wells Planetarium</h1></header>

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											<div>James Madison University, 800 South Main Street</div>
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							<span>Harrisonburg</span>,
							<span>VA</span>
												<span>22801</span>
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										<a href="http://www.jmu.edu/planetarium/about.shtml" target="_blank">Visit Website</a>
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												<div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 540- 568-6211</div>
				
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						<p>Characterizing it as an astronomical challenge may be a bit of a stretch, but operating the John C. Wells Planetarium before its $1.3 million renovation in 2007 was anything but easy.</p>
<p>Fixing the broken parts was not possible in a lot of cases because the parts of the 1970s-era system had become obsolete. Now running a state-of-the art hybrid projection system, those concerns seem light years in the past. When the planetarium reopened in September 2008, it offered visitors a total-immersion-in-space-experience available at only three other planetariums in the United States.</p>
<p>"We're one of the few planetariums in the world with a digital movie capability and a GOTO Cronus star ball that allows us to project an authentic view of what the night sky would look like on any given day at any given location on the earth," said planetarium director Shanil Virani.</p>
<p>While the hybrid system is different than IMAX technology, which some visitors have compared it to, the new GOTO Chronos instrument and Digistar 3 projection system can provide some eye-opening effects along with some advanced teaching tools. "We can account for light pollution, so what I normally do, I bring up the star ball with full light pollution and people recognize the familiar constellations and that's what they're used to seeing," Virani said. "When we remove the light pollution, that's the first 'ooh, ah' moment. Everytime."</p>
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											<div>James Madison University, 800 South Main Street</div>
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							<span>Harrisonburg</span>,
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						<p>Characterizing it as an astronomical challenge may be a bit of a stretch, but operating the John C. Wells Planetarium before its $1.3 million renovation in 2007 was anything but easy.</p>
<p>Fixing the broken parts was not possible in a lot of cases because the parts of the 1970s-era system had become obsolete. Now running a state-of-the art hybrid projection system, those concerns seem light years in the past. When the planetarium reopened in September 2008, it offered visitors a total-immersion-in-space-experience available at only three other planetariums in the United States.</p>
<p>"We're one of the few planetariums in the world with a digital movie capability and a GOTO Cronus star ball that allows us to project an authentic view of what the night sky would look like on any given day at any given location on the earth," said planetarium director Shanil Virani.</p>
<p>While the hybrid system is different than IMAX technology, which some visitors have compared it to, the new GOTO Chronos instrument and Digistar 3 projection system can provide some eye-opening effects along with some advanced teaching tools. "We can account for light pollution, so what I normally do, I bring up the star ball with full light pollution and people recognize the familiar constellations and that's what they're used to seeing," Virani said. "When we remove the light pollution, that's the first 'ooh, ah' moment. Everytime."</p>
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include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 243
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View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933
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Warning (2): include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.bodyTargeting.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 243]
Code Context
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	<div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box">
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		<header><h1 class="article-headline">John C. Wells Planetarium</h1></header>

		<div class="row">
			<div class="col-sm-6 left module-spacer">
				<p>
					<div>
											<div>James Madison University, 800 South Main Street</div>
											<div>
							<span>Harrisonburg</span>,
							<span>VA</span>
												<span>22801</span>
											</div>
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				</p>
								<div>
					<i class="fa fa-external-link-square"></i> 
										<a href="http://www.jmu.edu/planetarium/about.shtml" target="_blank">Visit Website</a>
								</div>
												<div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 540- 568-6211</div>
				
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				<div class="module-spacer clearfix">
						<p>Characterizing it as an astronomical challenge may be a bit of a stretch, but operating the John C. Wells Planetarium before its $1.3 million renovation in 2007 was anything but easy.</p>
<p>Fixing the broken parts was not possible in a lot of cases because the parts of the 1970s-era system had become obsolete. Now running a state-of-the art hybrid projection system, those concerns seem light years in the past. When the planetarium reopened in September 2008, it offered visitors a total-immersion-in-space-experience available at only three other planetariums in the United States.</p>
<p>"We're one of the few planetariums in the world with a digital movie capability and a GOTO Cronus star ball that allows us to project an authentic view of what the night sky would look like on any given day at any given location on the earth," said planetarium director Shanil Virani.</p>
<p>While the hybrid system is different than IMAX technology, which some visitors have compared it to, the new GOTO Chronos instrument and Digistar 3 projection system can provide some eye-opening effects along with some advanced teaching tools. "We can account for light pollution, so what I normally do, I bring up the star ball with full light pollution and people recognize the familiar constellations and that's what they're used to seeing," Virani said. "When we remove the light pollution, that's the first 'ooh, ah' moment. Everytime."</p>
<p></p>		</div>
		

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					<h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-live-cybercrime-and-fraud-prevention-tips-42125-9vn8twf4ts8.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-AARP-LIVE-CYBERCRIME-AND-FRAUD-PREVENTION-TIPS-42125">AARP Live: Cybercrime and Fraud Prevention Tips, 4/21/25</a></h2>
					<p class="time">Monday, Apr 21, 2025 at 7:00&nbsp;p.m. CT</p>
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					<p class="loc">Online Event</p>
					
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					<h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-live-decluttering-for-today-and-tomorrow-51925-87nw6zdbytm.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-AARP-LIVE-DECLUTTERING-FOR-TODAY-AND-TOMORROW-51925">AARP Live: Decluttering for Today and Tomorrow , 5/19/25</a></h2>
					<p class="time">Monday, May 19, 2025 at 7:00&nbsp;p.m. CT</p>
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					<p class="loc">Online Event</p>
					
				</li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1">

					
					<h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-live-social-security-whats-right-for-you-61625-glnbkkyk2gm.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-AARP-LIVE-SOCIAL-SECURITY-WHATS-RIGHT-FOR-YOU-61625">AARP Live: Social Security: What’s Right For You? , 6/16/25</a></h2>
					<p class="time">Monday, Jun 16, 2025 at 7:00&nbsp;p.m. CT</p>
					<p class="venue"></p>
					<p class="loc">Online Event</p>
					
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			<p><a class="link-red" href="/robinsonville-ms/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p>
	
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	<div class="title">Last Chance to Save!<br />New Pricing Coming in 2025.</div>
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This is AARP's first rate increase in 15 years.<br />Don't miss out, join today and save!<br /><br />
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											<div>James Madison University, 800 South Main Street</div>
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							<span>Harrisonburg</span>,
							<span>VA</span>
												<span>22801</span>
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								<div>
					<i class="fa fa-external-link-square"></i> 
										<a href="http://www.jmu.edu/planetarium/about.shtml" target="_blank">Visit Website</a>
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												<div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 540- 568-6211</div>
				
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						<p>Characterizing it as an astronomical challenge may be a bit of a stretch, but operating the John C. Wells Planetarium before its $1.3 million renovation in 2007 was anything but easy.</p>
<p>Fixing the broken parts was not possible in a lot of cases because the parts of the 1970s-era system had become obsolete. Now running a state-of-the art hybrid projection system, those concerns seem light years in the past. When the planetarium reopened in September 2008, it offered visitors a total-immersion-in-space-experience available at only three other planetariums in the United States.</p>
<p>"We're one of the few planetariums in the world with a digital movie capability and a GOTO Cronus star ball that allows us to project an authentic view of what the night sky would look like on any given day at any given location on the earth," said planetarium director Shanil Virani.</p>
<p>While the hybrid system is different than IMAX technology, which some visitors have compared it to, the new GOTO Chronos instrument and Digistar 3 projection system can provide some eye-opening effects along with some advanced teaching tools. "We can account for light pollution, so what I normally do, I bring up the star ball with full light pollution and people recognize the familiar constellations and that's what they're used to seeing," Virani said. "When we remove the light pollution, that's the first 'ooh, ah' moment. Everytime."</p>
<p></p>		</div>
		

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					<p class="time">Monday, Jun 16, 2025 at 7:00&nbsp;p.m. CT</p>
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					<p class="loc">Online Event</p>
					
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	<div class="title">Last Chance to Save!<br />New Pricing Coming in 2025.</div>
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This is AARP's first rate increase in 15 years.<br />Don't miss out, join today and save!<br /><br />
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						<p>Characterizing it as an astronomical challenge may be a bit of a stretch, but operating the John C. Wells Planetarium before its $1.3 million renovation in 2007 was anything but easy.</p>
<p>Fixing the broken parts was not possible in a lot of cases because the parts of the 1970s-era system had become obsolete. Now running a state-of-the art hybrid projection system, those concerns seem light years in the past. When the planetarium reopened in September 2008, it offered visitors a total-immersion-in-space-experience available at only three other planetariums in the United States.</p>
<p>"We're one of the few planetariums in the world with a digital movie capability and a GOTO Cronus star ball that allows us to project an authentic view of what the night sky would look like on any given day at any given location on the earth," said planetarium director Shanil Virani.</p>
<p>While the hybrid system is different than IMAX technology, which some visitors have compared it to, the new GOTO Chronos instrument and Digistar 3 projection system can provide some eye-opening effects along with some advanced teaching tools. "We can account for light pollution, so what I normally do, I bring up the star ball with full light pollution and people recognize the familiar constellations and that's what they're used to seeing," Virani said. "When we remove the light pollution, that's the first 'ooh, ah' moment. Everytime."</p>
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						<p>Characterizing it as an astronomical challenge may be a bit of a stretch, but operating the John C. Wells Planetarium before its $1.3 million renovation in 2007 was anything but easy.</p>
<p>Fixing the broken parts was not possible in a lot of cases because the parts of the 1970s-era system had become obsolete. Now running a state-of-the art hybrid projection system, those concerns seem light years in the past. When the planetarium reopened in September 2008, it offered visitors a total-immersion-in-space-experience available at only three other planetariums in the United States.</p>
<p>"We're one of the few planetariums in the world with a digital movie capability and a GOTO Cronus star ball that allows us to project an authentic view of what the night sky would look like on any given day at any given location on the earth," said planetarium director Shanil Virani.</p>
<p>While the hybrid system is different than IMAX technology, which some visitors have compared it to, the new GOTO Chronos instrument and Digistar 3 projection system can provide some eye-opening effects along with some advanced teaching tools. "We can account for light pollution, so what I normally do, I bring up the star ball with full light pollution and people recognize the familiar constellations and that's what they're used to seeing," Virani said. "When we remove the light pollution, that's the first 'ooh, ah' moment. Everytime."</p>
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		<header><h1 class="article-headline">John C. Wells Planetarium</h1></header>

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											<div>James Madison University, 800 South Main Street</div>
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							<span>Harrisonburg</span>,
							<span>VA</span>
												<span>22801</span>
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					<i class="fa fa-external-link-square"></i> 
										<a href="http://www.jmu.edu/planetarium/about.shtml" target="_blank">Visit Website</a>
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												<div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 540- 568-6211</div>
				
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						<p>Characterizing it as an astronomical challenge may be a bit of a stretch, but operating the John C. Wells Planetarium before its $1.3 million renovation in 2007 was anything but easy.</p>
<p>Fixing the broken parts was not possible in a lot of cases because the parts of the 1970s-era system had become obsolete. Now running a state-of-the art hybrid projection system, those concerns seem light years in the past. When the planetarium reopened in September 2008, it offered visitors a total-immersion-in-space-experience available at only three other planetariums in the United States.</p>
<p>"We're one of the few planetariums in the world with a digital movie capability and a GOTO Cronus star ball that allows us to project an authentic view of what the night sky would look like on any given day at any given location on the earth," said planetarium director Shanil Virani.</p>
<p>While the hybrid system is different than IMAX technology, which some visitors have compared it to, the new GOTO Chronos instrument and Digistar 3 projection system can provide some eye-opening effects along with some advanced teaching tools. "We can account for light pollution, so what I normally do, I bring up the star ball with full light pollution and people recognize the familiar constellations and that's what they're used to seeing," Virani said. "When we remove the light pollution, that's the first 'ooh, ah' moment. Everytime."</p>
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											<div>James Madison University, 800 South Main Street</div>
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							<span>Harrisonburg</span>,
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						<p>Characterizing it as an astronomical challenge may be a bit of a stretch, but operating the John C. Wells Planetarium before its $1.3 million renovation in 2007 was anything but easy.</p>
<p>Fixing the broken parts was not possible in a lot of cases because the parts of the 1970s-era system had become obsolete. Now running a state-of-the art hybrid projection system, those concerns seem light years in the past. When the planetarium reopened in September 2008, it offered visitors a total-immersion-in-space-experience available at only three other planetariums in the United States.</p>
<p>"We're one of the few planetariums in the world with a digital movie capability and a GOTO Cronus star ball that allows us to project an authentic view of what the night sky would look like on any given day at any given location on the earth," said planetarium director Shanil Virani.</p>
<p>While the hybrid system is different than IMAX technology, which some visitors have compared it to, the new GOTO Chronos instrument and Digistar 3 projection system can provide some eye-opening effects along with some advanced teaching tools. "We can account for light pollution, so what I normally do, I bring up the star ball with full light pollution and people recognize the familiar constellations and that's what they're used to seeing," Virani said. "When we remove the light pollution, that's the first 'ooh, ah' moment. Everytime."</p>
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Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963
AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136
PlacesController::display() - APP/Controller/PlacesController.php, line 501
ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ??
Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491
Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193
Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167
[main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 118