The Einstein Planetarium at the National Air and Space Museum includes a star projector manufactured by the Carl Zeiss company. This amazing machine reproduces a starry night sky even more realistic than today’s advanced digital projectors. Zeiss projectors with their famous “dumbbell” shape have been icons of planetariums all over the world. When the National Air and Space Museum opened in 1976, this Zeiss projector was the official gift from West Germany to the United States for the American bicentennial. After more than 40 years of service, the Zeiss projector will be retired when the Planetarium closes for renovations later this year. Afterward the Zeiss projector will be brought into the Museum collection and displayed at the Hazy Center. Come see this amazing machine in action once last time!

The show starts at 10:30 am, but doors will open around 10:00 am to give you a chance to check out the Zeiss projector before the show begins.

Pick up free tickets at the Albert Einstein Planetarium box office.