1. What is a portable planetarium?
A portable or mobile planetarium is an educational instrument that can reproduce the night sky with great accuracy. It is primarily used to offer educational programs on astronomy to adults and children alike. The planetarium becomes a creative setting for any educational endeavor and as such can also be used to incorporate such disciplines as science, geography, math, history, literature and art. The potential of the planetarium dome is as endless as the teacher’s imagination.

The advantages of a portable planetarium like CUBEX is precisely its portability. Ease of transportation and installation enables the user to take it practically anywhere. It can be easily and quickly installed in such places as schools, community centers, gymnasia, exhibition halls, fairs, shopping centers, museums, etc. A portable planetarium allows one to bring the magic of astronomy to people and avoids the often costly transportation of large groups to larger, permanent planetarium facilities.

2. What educational function does a portable planetarium fulfill?
The educational possibilities of a planetarium are endless. Not only is a planetarium able to simulate the night sky with great accuracy, but projecting the night sky on a spherical surface reproduces the true geometry of the celestial dome which allows for a more effective understanding of astronomical concepts; concepts that are almost impossible to transmit on the flat surface of, for example, a blackboard.

Aside from the geometrical accuracy recreated on a planetarium’s dome, the climate and "mood" inside a planetarium is not the same as that in a classroom. Audiences are surrounded by darkness, stars, a voice, and images. These heighten the awe and curiosity that are essential to our appreciation of the natural world around us. The inside of the planetarium is a magical and abstract environment that allows for engaging lessons and ultimately in longer concentration and enjoyment on the part of the student/audiences.

3. What local conditions are necessary to install a portable planetarium?
There aren’t too many restrictions as to where a portable planetarium may be installed. A covered and closed room of at least 6 x 7 meters and 3.2 meters in height is the minimal space requirement for setup the CUBEX with a 5 m dome. Although it is not imperative that the room be dark, it is preferable to have it as dark as possible to avoid any light leak.

A covered room is preferable due to the possibility of sudden weather changes (especially strong winds) which could blow the dome away causing damage to the equipment and possible injury to those inside. Even light winds could bend the dome, which is supported only by air pressure, and create unwanted distortions in the projection.

4. How many people are needed to run it?
Running the CUBEX is simple and can be done by one person. However, it is recommended that two people be involved during set up and dismantling. CUBEX is lightweight enough for one person to operate it and all its contents can fit into a compact vehicle.

5. What is the capacity of the CUBEX?
How many people can fit inside the CUBEX dome depends on the size of the people! The 5 meter dome can accommodate 45 children or 30 adults; the 6 meter dome, 60 children or 40 adults and the 7 meters dome 80 children or 55 adults. These numbers are flexibles, however, and depend on what the spectator considers to be a comfortable situation (for example, unlike most adults, children can sit cross-legged for long periods of time). Generally speaking and for most situations, one could add five more people to the numbers indicated above.

6. Who can use a portable planetarium?
A portable planetarium is the ideal learning tool to complement the activities of a primary or secondary school. Its easy and simple operation allows it to be operated by practically any person with minimal training. A portable planetarium can be used by municipalities, cultural centers, and museums to offer outreach programs in their communities and to publicize their work.

Independent amateurs astronomers have also found portable planetaria an excellent way to share with others their love of the stars. Around the world, the following groups have successfully found the benefits of a portable planetarium: schools, colleges, museums, municipalities, cultural centers, astronomy clubs, independent entrepreneurs.

7. How does CUBEX compare to other portable planetaria?
The CUBEX has the following features that put it clearly above other portable planetaria:

• Hand held constelations projector: allows the presenter to project the mythological outlines of major constellation figures and to superimpose them on the stars in the dome. This allows for easy and quick demonstrations of a constellation’s position and mythological origins without interrupting the flow of the program. The slide projector may also be fixed onto a base to be used as a table projector. It can also be used to project any other standard sized photographic slide that the presenter wishes.
• Motor: the diurnal rotation motor is of variable and reversible speed which allows one to represent the movement of the celestial sphere as it is seen from both terrestrial hemispheres.
• Dome: lightweight and with a high vertical entrance allows for comfortable and easy entry and exit.
• Projection: unobstructed star projection body and independent projection between stars and planets, the Moon and the Sun.
• Price: The best ratio cost/benefit of the market.

8. Can I buy the proejct and dome seperately?
Yes, you can.

9. Are there other star projection cubes?
Yes. We offer five differents types of projection cubes for both hemispheres north and south. All of them related with astronomy and designed to teach topics like coordinates, constelations, etc. View projection cubes details.