The giant planetarium projector located at the centre of our Star Theatre was the real star of our shows. Built by Carl Zeiss in Oberkochen*, the instrument contained over 150 individual projectors, fixed and moveable, which operated individually or together in groups. The Zeiss planetarium is like an astronomical flight simulator. It accurately reproduces the night sky as seen by the naked eye from anywhere on Earth, from pole to pole.
In a sense, the Zeiss projector also functioned as a time machine, since it could accelerate the movements of celestial objects, such as the Sun, Moon and planets, thereby reproducing the night sky as it appeared at any time in history — past, present, or future.
Auxilliary projectors were used to illustrate the mythological constellations and to indicate celestial coordinates. Finally, special effects projectors reproduced a wide range of astronomical phenomena, such as meteor showers, the aurora borealis, and even a comet.
In a world where growing light pollution outshines the splendor of the night sky, the Zeiss projector offered a unique opportunity to see more than 9000 stars, not to mention numerous star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies — all under perpetually clear and cloudless skies...
* Oberkochen is located in the former West Germany. All operations of the Planetarium Divisions were consolidated in Jena in the 1990's following the reunification of Germany and of the Zeiss Company.