Vermont's only public planetarium, located in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, is getting a facelift.  When the Fairbanks Planetarium first opened its doors in 1961, it featured an original Spitz model A-2 projector, designed by Armand Spitz in the late 30s based on a revolving dodecahedron.  For over 50 years, this reliable little machine helped bring education & entertainment to the 15,000 visitors that sat under the planetarium's 24-foot domed ceiling each year.

However, after half a century, it was time for a facelift.  The planetarium closed its doors on January 1st, 2012, and began working with Dark Star on installation services that would bring their space into the digital age.  Dark Star's team worked alongside the project managers at Fairbanks Planetarium to help realize their dream of modern audio & lighting systems that would enhance their new computer-projection system.  The result was a customized design & installation of Martin Easypix™ LED striplights with full-spectrum RGB color mixing controlled by the award-winning Enttec DMXIS lighting control system, and Electro-Voice EVID 4.2 loudspeakers with pro audio support. 

The new Lyman Spitzer Jr. Planetarium at the Fairbanks Museum celebrates its reopening on April 13, 2012.  Guided tours of the galaxy will be offered at the planetarium each weekend at 1:30 p.m. following the reopening.