Patent ID: 8210686

Claim:
A projection system for use within a dome having a concave interior and a side wall at its lower end, the dome interior having an inner surface with a desired diffuse reflectivity, the system comprising: (i) a reflective sphere mounted at a central point within the concave interior of the dome, the reflective sphere having an outer surface of a desired diffuse reflectivity; (ii) a dome projector situated within the dome, and oriented so as to project at least partially onto the dome inner surface of the dome, and adapted to produce a first dome projected image of a first celestial body on the dome inner surface; (iii) a plurality of peripheral projectors, the peripheral projectors disposed about the lower side wall of the dome, with each of the peripheral projectors oriented so as to project on complementary portions of the outer surface of the reflective sphere, and adapted to produce a first sphere projected image corresponding to a second celestial body on the outer surface of the reflective sphere; and (iv) wherein the relative position of the first dome projected image on the inner surface of the dome to the first sphere projected image on the outer surface of the reflective sphere is adapted to illustrate a desired orientation between the first and second celestial bodies.