Digital

Starlab
Setup and Operation Manual
Getting Started
Introduction:
Thank you for your purchase of the Digital STARLAB projection system. We welcome you to a growing fam-
ily of educators who have come to appreciate the versatility and excitement inherent in the STARLAB. In this
section, you will be provided with all of the information needed to successfully set up and operate the Digital
STARLAB projection system and dome. In addition, weve included a number of maintenance tips, which will
keep your STARLAB system in peak operating condition for years to come.
The staff of Science First is not only committed to providing you with the fnest equipment available, but with
the highest quality service possible. We are always looking for ways to improve our products and service and
we would love to hear from you. If you have specifc questions, please contact us using the information below.
Science First
86475 Gene Lasserre Blvd Yulee FL 32034
Phone: 904-225-5558
Fax: 904-225-2228 E-mail: [email protected]
Please feel free to visit our website: www.starlab.com
Parts List for the
Digital STARLAB
Digital Starlab with Lens
Speakers
MacBook Pro Computer
Projector Power Cord
Speaker Power Cord
Projector Remote
Mini Display Port to HDMI Cable
Computer Power Cord
Set-Up Instructions for Digital STARLAB
The projection system for the Digital STARLAB is shipped in a single fight case. This case doubles as the
stand, and also holds all of the accessories for the Digital STARLAB. We have left plenty of extra room in the
pockets for you to add your own equipment, if so desired.
Digital STARLAB Case
Digital STARLAB Case in Stand Mode
Digital STARLAB
Speakers Cables and accessories
Computer
Lift From Here
Lift From Here
1. Lay the Digital STARLAB
case fat on its bumpers so that
the telescoping handle is near
and parallel to the foor.
2. Open the case by pulling out
and turning the keys to disengage
the four latches located two on
each long side of the case. To do
so, pull the key up and turn to
the left. Once all of the latches
are disengaged, make sure to lay
them fat again.
3. Place the top (lid) of the case
(the smaller section) on the foor
with the foam side down in the
center of the dome. This is the
base of the stand Figure 2.
4. Next, remove all of the com-
ponents from the bottom of the
case starting with the projector.
Lift the projector from the sides
where there are spaces in the
foam (see Figure 1). Place it on
a stable surface. Then remove all
other components including the
computer, two speakers, cables,
and remote.
5. Once empty, fip the case bot-
tom onto its side so that the small
latch hook on each long end is
parallel to and near the foor.
6. In this position, place the bot-
tom section of the case onto the
top section (Figure 3) so that the
wheel side of the bottom sec-
tion and the bumper side of the
top section are on the same end.
Align the latch hook with the
latches Figure 4. Make sure
that the latches are securely fas-
tened and laid fat.
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 1
Brackets to hold projector
Projector
Brackets
7. With the bottom of the projector facing
away from you and fsheye lens pointing up,
carefully slide the projector downwards onto
the 2 brackets located on the upper left side
of the stand Figures 6 & 7. Both projector
hooks should ft securely in the brackets on
the stand.
8. Next, connect all the cables to the projec-
tor. You will need to attach the power cord,
and the HDMI cable. The HDMI cable should
then be plugged into the Mini Display Port on
your laptop.
9. Assemble the speakers. Only one speaker
has ports on it (Speaker A). Plug the white
cord from the Speaker B without ports into
the righthand port of Speaker A. Then plug
the Speaker Power Cord into the left port of
Speaker A. After you have done that, plug the
green cord into the heaphone jack on your
computer.
10. Once everything has been plugged in,
turn on the computer and projector. The
projecter can be turned on with the remote,
or with the touch sensitive panel just below
the Infocus label. The power button is al-
ways illuminated. It will be orange when the
projector is off, and green when it is on. This
panel will light up when touched, with all the
buttons glowing blue. The light will turn off
after a minute of inactivity.
11. The fnal step is to load Starry Night.
Double click the Projector Icon, and im-
meadiately afterward double click the Small
Dome icon. The program will start after a
breif boot up period. It will automatically get
outputed to the projector.
Enjoy your system!
Figure 6
Figure 7
Shutting Down and Packing Up the Digital STARLAB
1. Hit the power button once on the projector (in the button panel) or on the remote to turn off the projector. It
is important to leave the projector plugged in for a few minutes! This allows a fan to cool the bulb. Failing to do
this may decrease the life of the bulb. During this period, you can pack up the other equipment.
2. Replace the cap on the fsheye lens.
3. Shut down the computer. To do so, close all applications then choose Shut Down under the Apple icon on
the menu bar at the top of the screen (far left).
4. Turn off the speakers by turning the knob on Speaker A counterclockwise until it clicks.
5. Unplug the power strip from the wall then remove all of the cords.
6. Remove all the cords from the computer and projector.
7. Make sure you have plenty of room and there are no trip hazards when removing the projector.
8. Remove the projector by lifting it straight up off the brackets and place it on a stable surface.
9. Next, undo the two latches connecting the top and bottom of the case and lay the latches fat.
10. Remove the bottom, lay it fat with the foam side up and replace all of the components in their slot as shown
in photo below.
11. Replace the top of the case and secure all four latches. Lay the latches fat.
Digital STARLAB
Speakers Cables and accessories
Computer
Lift From Here
Lift From Here
Software Operation
Using the Controls
The controls in Starry Night are grouped in three areas of the screen:
Toolbar
Side Pane
~ SkyGuide Pane
Application Menu
If any of the controls described in this section are missing from your display, reinstall QuickTime and make sure
to choose the Recommended Install option.
Toolbar
The toolbar is the strip of buttons above the main window. The toolbar has the following set of basic controls
(each set of controls is explained in a later section):
Time and Date
Time Flow Rate
Viewing Location
Gaze
Zoom
Side Panes
These panes are along the left side of the screen can be viewed as the following options:
Favorites
SkyGuide
Options
Media
Find, info
Selecting an option from the dropdown menu causes that pane to open, revealing a set of controls. Each pane
opens to the same width. However, by clicking along the right edge of the pane and dragging the mouse, you
can make the pane narrower or wider.
Within a pane, you can expand or collapse various layers by using these buttons:
Expand layer.
Collapse layer.
SkyGuide Pane
The SkyGuide pane is different from the other panes. It functions a lot like a web browser and contains it own
set of buttons to help you navigate through the pages. The SkyGuide Pane has the following controls:
Navigation
The navigation controls are located at the top of the SkyGuide pane.
Click Back to return to the page you last visited. Click it again to move back through all the pages
youve seen.
Click Forward to go forward again through the same pages.
Click Home to go to the main SkyGuide page.
Click Refresh to reload the initial view in the sky window.
Click Remove Slides to remove all media playing on the dome.
Click Table of Contents to display a list of all topics and tours that SkyGuide offers.
Click Page Forward to move to the next page in SkyGuide.
Click Page Back to move to the previous page in SkyGuide.
Page Path
To help you remember the way you came, each page includes a menu to show you where you are in SkyGuide.
Application Menu
The menu runs across the top of the screen, above the toolbar. Clicking an item in the menu reveals additional
options.
Changing Your Viewing Direction
By default, Starry Night always opens with your view facing south, looking slightly above the horizon. You can
adjust this view to look in any direction. The default cursor icon in Starry Night is a hand. When you hold the
mouse button down, the hand closes, as if its grabbing part of the sky. If you hold the mouse button down and
drag the mouse, your view shifts in the direction that you moved the mouse.
Zenith and Nadir Markers
If you adjust your view to look high above the horizon, you might see a red marker. This marker identifes the
zenith, the point in the sky that is directly above your head. If your view is from a point in space, you can also
look straight down to see a marker for the nadir, the point directly beneath your feet. If your view is from a spot
on Earth or another planet, you can look only slightly below the horizon, and cannot see the nadir.
Gaze Control
The gaze display in the status bar shows the direction youre looking.
Altitude (Alt) measures the angle above the horizon in degrees. An altitude of zero degree means youre looking
straight ahead; 90 degrees means youre looking straight up.
Azimuth (Az) indicates the direction youre facing: zero degrees is north, 90 degrees is east, 180 degrees is
south, and 270 degrees is west. You can also use the compass points marked along the horizon to determine
your viewing direction.
Location Scroller
The location scroller is another way of changing your location when your view is from high above an object.
The location-scroller cursor looks like a compass with arrows radiating from four sides. If you click and drag
the cursor, you can move all around an object. This offers fantastic views of the planets and solar system. For
instance, if youre high above the surface of Saturn, use the location scroller to turn the planet and see the rings
from every angle.
The location scroller can help you get a real sense of the three-dimensional relationships among objects in our
solar system and beyond. As you explore the tours in SkyGuide, the location scroller appears automatically
when appropriate. In these cases, you can click and drag the cursor to change your perspective. To change the
hand tool to the location scroller tool, hold down the Shift key and drag the cursor, or select it from the cursor
drag-down menu.
Changing the Date and Time
When you open Starry Night, you see a view of what you would see if you stepped outside at the current time
and looked south. The date and time are in the upper left corner of the toolbar.
To change the date or time, click it. The date or time lights up and you can type in
a new value. To change the month, use the up and down arrow keys on your key-
board. If your mouse has a wheel, you can use it as well. If Starry Night is show-
ing a daytime scene, try changing the time to when its dark. If you already see a
night scene, change the time so that its day. Clicking on the am/pm next to the
time will automatically switch between the two, a jump of 12 hours. For example,
if is 9 in the morining when you click this icon, it will become 9 at night.
Customizing Time Flow
By default, time in Starry Night advances at the same rate as real time. If you run
Starry Night for one hour, Starry Nights time advances one hour (unless youre
in one of the SkyGuide tours where weve adjusted the time rate to demonstrate
something). As the time in Starry Night changes, the screen changes to refect the
changing sky.
Changing the Time-fow Rate
Just as nature programs use time-lapse photography to show processes too slow to
see in real time, you can speed up or slow down time to get the best possible view
of an astronomical event.
The rate of times fow is shown in the Time Flow Rate section of the toolbar.
Clicking the black area to the left of the rate opens a menu that displays a list of
possible time steps.
The steps are in two categories: multiples of real time and discrete time steps.
Multiples of Real Time
Time steps that are multiples of real time advance time in Starry Night at a rate
equal to a multiple of the real rate of time fow. For example, a time-step of 30x
would cause the time in Starry Night to advance at 30 times the real rate.
Discrete Time Steps
Discrete time steps moves the time by a specifc increment every time Starry
Night updates the display. Discrete time steps are often useful when youre watch-
ing astronomical events. For example, if you wanted to see how Jupiters position
in the sky changes over the next few months, you could set the time to sometime
in the evening (for example, 9:00 P.M.) and then set the time step to one day.
Starry Night would run time forward, showing the sky at 9:00 P.M. each night. If
you had chosen a multiple of real time instead of a discrete time step, you would
see an alternating cycle of day and night, instead of seeing the sky at the same
time each night.
Some of the discrete time steps listed in the menu might be unfamiliar:
Sidereal day: This is the time it takes for Earth to rotate once on its axis. It is
four minutes shorter that the day we are familiar with, the solar day. Sidereal and
solar days differ in length because of the revolution of Earth around the Sun.
Lunar month: This is the time between two full moons, as seen from Earth. It is
about 29 days.
Customizing Time Steps
You are not limited to the time steps that appear in the time step pull-down menu.
If you click the numerical part of the current time step, it lights up and you can
type a numerical value. This will let you change the time step from one day to
seven days, for example.
You can change the way time is fowing using the following controls in the tool-
bar.
Click Single Step Backward to move the time backward by one time step
and then freeze it.
Click Backward to run time backward continuously. Each time the screen is
updated, the time moves backward one time step.
Click Stop to freeze time at the current value.
Click Forward (Play) to run time forward continuously. Each time the screen
is updated, time moves forward one time step. This is the default time fow mode.
Click Single Step Forward to move the time forward by one time step and
then freeze it.
If you want to view the sky at a specifc time, frst click the Stop button, and then
type in the viewing time. If you type in the viewing time frst, the time shown
onscreen might update before you press the Stop button.
There are three short cut keys that play and stop time:
. = key stops time
/ = routine forward
, = runs time backwards.
Changing Your Home Location
The frst time Starry Night opens, a dialog box opens that asks you to set your
home location. Once you have done this, you do not need to change your home
location unless you move. To change your home location, follow these steps:
1. Choose Starry Night Small Dome Editon > Set Home Location. This displays a
list of cities throughout the world.
2 Use the scrollbar on the right to look through the list. If your home city is listed,
click on its name to highlight this city, and click Save As Home Location. If your
city is not listed, proceed to step three.
3 Click the Latitude/Longitude tab. Enter your latitude and longitude. You can en-
ter values in degrees; degrees and minutes; or degrees, minutes and seconds. You
must also enter a time zone, which are calculated according to the time differ-
ence from London, England. For example, all communities on Eastern Standard
Time are fve hours behind London, so you would enter -5h, if you are on Eastern
Standard Time. If you do not know your latitude, longitude, and time zone, click
Lookup Lat/Long on Internet for resources that will help you fnd this informa-
tion.
4 Once you have entered your coordinates, click Add Location to List. This opens
a window where you can enter your city, province or state, and country. Click Add
Location when you have entered this information.
5 Finally, click Save As Home Location.
Viewing Location
The viewing location display tells you from where in space you are viewing. If
you are viewing from the Earth, your city name will show up in the display. If you
are observing from another planet, the display shows this information.
Identifying Objects in the Sky
If you point your cursor at any object shown onscreen, information about the
object appears. This is Starry Nights Heads-Up Display (HUD).
Labeling Objects
The heads-up display is great for fnding out what a specifc object is, but the
best way to quickly identify all the bright objects on the screen is to select
Labels-Show all labels from the application menu.
To remove the labels, select Labels-Hide all labels.
Displaying Constellation Figures
For thousands of years, stargazers have joined the brighter stars together into
patterns we call constellations. Astronomers recognize 88 constellations,
which together cover the entire sky. Knowing which constellation an object
is in is the frst step to fnding the object.
To turn on the stick fgures for the constellations press the K key on the key-
board. Press K again to toggle them off. More constellation display options
are located in the Constellations layer of the Options Pane.
Finding Objects
If you are interested in fnding a specifc object, such as a planet or a bright
new comet, select the Find side pane. Click in the text box at the top of this
pane and type in the frst few letters of the object you are looking for. As you
type, Starry Night displays a list of objects that match your name.
Once the object that you are looking for appears in the list, double-click on
its name, and Starry Night will centre on the object. Several information
felds are listed beside each object in the list of found objects.
Tip
The object you are searching for may be hidden beneath the horizon.
If this is the case, Starry Night will offer you the option of hid-
ing the hori zon or advancing the time forward to a time when
the object will be above the horizon. Objects below the horizon
are greyed out.
Searching a Specifc Database
By default, Starry Night searches all of its object databases when you use the
Find pane. If you wish, you can choose to search in only a specifc database,
by clicking the magnifying glass symbol on the left side of the textbox in the
Find pane, and choosing the appropriate database from the menu that ap-
pears.
Solar System Object List
If you clear the text box at the top of the Find pane, the list of items found
is replaced by a list of solar system objects. Click the symbol to the left of
an objects name to expand the list to include all other objects that orbit this
object.
For example, clicking on this symbol for Jupiter will expand the list to
include Jupiters moons. Clicking again collapses the list and hides Jupiters
moons. You can double-click on any object in this list to centre on the object
in Starry Night main window.
Selecting and Centering Objects
You can open a contextual menu in Starry Night by pointing the cursor at any object
in the sky and right-clicking or control-clicking. The contextual menu provides op-
tions specifc to that object.
Select/deselect: This selects or deselects the object. If an object is selected, its name
and an arrow pointing to the object will appear onscreen.
Center: This adjusts your view so the object is at the center of the screen and remains
locked there as time passes. This is handy if you want to watch a planets motion
against the background stars, for example. Note: If you are centered on an object and
it falls beneath your horizon, your view will be obstructed by the horizon.
Magnify: This zooms in on the object so that you get a close-up view. Objects within
our solar system and many deep-space objects have detailed images.
Selecting Multiple Objects
To select more than one object, hold down the Shift key while selecting the next ob-
ject. This is a handy feature, allowing you to label only the objects you want on the
screen. For example, you might only want to display the constellation Orion, label
the star Rigel and the deepsky object M42.
Zooming in On Objects
Youve learned that you can zoom in on an object by opening its contextual menu
and choosing Magnify. Another way to get spectacular close up views of objects
such as Saturn or the Andromeda Galaxy is to use the buttons next to the zoom dis-
play.
Click the plus button to zoom in closer and the minus button to zoom back out. If
your mouse has a scroll wheel, you can also use that to zoom in and out.
The default zoom gives the largest view of the sky, which is 190 degrees. You can
zoom in up to 300,000 times!
When you zoom in on objects, you are not changing your location or your elevation.
Think of zooming as looking through a powerful telescope, while your feet remain
frmly planted.
Determining Distances Between Objects
To determine the distance between two objects as seen from your current viewing
position, use the angular separation tool. To use this tool, hold your hand cursor over
an object until it turns into an arrow. Then click on that object and drag to another.
Changing Your Horizon
By default Starry Night shows a photorealistic horizon. However, you might want
to change your horizon to something else, perhaps a photorealistic horizon of your
backyard that you created yourself.
To change the horizon options, in the Options Pane select Local View > Local Hori-
zon from the application menu. Under Earth horizon you will fnd a list of different
horizons you can try.
Changing Your Elevation
You might want to place yourself at some distance above a planets surface. You can
change your elevation above an objects surface in Starry Night with the elevation
buttons in the Viewing Location Display of the toolbar.
Safety Features and Information
Safety Rules
In order to maximize the overall quality of your STARLAB experience, ensure safety and make certain that the
system components are not damaged in any way, its important that you always review and follow this safety
information when using the STARLAB.
1. The STARLAB should always be set up in an open space such as cafeteria, gym, multipurpose room, or large
classroom. Do not set up on a stage. It is not designed for use where exits are blocked or ceiling height is low.
2. Allow at least 18 inches above the dome for a sprinklered ceiling; allow at least 12 inches above the dome for
a ceiling with incandescent lighting; allow at least 6 inches above the dome for a ceiling with fuorescent light-
ing.
3. When setting up the dome, be sure to avoid blocking the exit paths out of the room.
4. Never set up the STARLAB dome near an open fame, incandescent lighting, radiators, space heaters or other
heat source. Never allow anyone who is smoking in or near the dome.
5. Students should never be left alone in the STARLAB. The instructor should always be the frst one in and last
one out of the dome.
6. When leaving the STARLAB dome, the instructor should check to make sure there is no one remaining in the
entrance or infation tubes.
7. Always make sure there is a clear path out of the STARLAB in the event of an emergency.
8. Safety rules and evacuation procedures should be reviewed with the students before the start of each STAR-
LAB lesson.
9. Do not allow food or drink inside the STARLAB dome as it could damage the equipment.
10. Do not set up the STARLAB outdoors. It is not designed to be exposed to moisture and direct sunlight, and
even a gentle breeze could move the dome when it is infated.
Safety Facts
The STARLAB dome has two means of egress:
1. through the entrance tube and,
2. by lifting the side of the dome occupants can exit in seconds because the dome has no foor (see Emergency
Procedures, page 26).
It requires 8 lbs of force to lift the side of the Standard Dome, and 14 lbs of force to lift the side of the Giant
Dome.
In the case of a power outage, it takes 42 minutes for the ceiling of the Giant Dome to settle to a level of 6 feet
from the ground.
Air circulates through the dome continuously, with a complete fresh air exchange rate of every 6 minutes for
the Standard Dome and 24 minutes for the Giant Dome.
The STARLAB Blower is UL rated.
Recommended Emergency Lighting Options
Working fashlight.
Battery back-up UPS (uninterrupted power supply) rated at 180 watts.
Rechargeable lantern.
Photoluminescent exit sign.
Troubleshooting
What do I do if the system wont come on?
1. Check to make sure all the cords are frmly plugged in.
When the projector has power, a small orange icon will light up on the control panel
When the computer has power, the end of the power cord will glow orange
2. Press the starup buttons on the projector and computer
The Projector will display a white screen with the infocus name. It takes about 3 minutes for the bulb
to warm up.
If the computer has been completely powered down, it will take about 1 minute to boot.
3. If you are still experiencing problems, contact Science First.
What do I do if everything is on but the projector wont display an image?
1. Make sure the HDMI to Mini Display Port cord is fully engaged,
This cord can ft into the Firewire and Ethernet ports as well, so be sure it is in the correct port!
2. It is possible the projector is looking for a signal in an unoccupied port. Press the auto image or source
buttons on your remote to tell the projector to try other ports.
3. Click the live button in the upper left hand corner of the Starry Night window. This will get Starry Night to
talk to the projector.
4. The computer has been programmed to automatically detect the projector. If you see the computer screen
fash blue, the computer has found the projector.
If you see the screen fash blue but still have no image, reboot the projector. You can do this by turning
it off and then turning it on again.
If you reboot the projector and still have no image, contact Science First.
What do I do if the Starry Night software wont load?
1. It is possible, though unlikely, that the Starry Night software can make a mistake upon loading.
To mitigate this, close the program and reopen it.
2. If you have an image but no way to manipulate it, the likely cause is that the Starry Night and Projector
windows are reversed.
To fx it, close the program.
When you reopen the program, double click on Projector frst and Starry Night second.
3. If you are still experiencing problems, contact Science First.
What do I do if my projection isnt level?
1. The lens mount is designed to be a little loose to prevent damage.
Due to this, it is possible to move the lens slightly by hand.
Gently tap the lens until the horizon is level. You will want the blue around the edge to dissapear.
2. What to do if the horizon is tilted more than you can remedy by adjusting the lens:
It is possible to adjust the internal optics of the projector using the remote. This will remedy any prob-
lem you may have with the horizon level.
Due to the sensitive nature of this operation, we request that you contact Science First for instructions.
What do I do if my projected image is warped?
1. The projector is designed to accomodate a varying amount of screen sizes. The aspect ratio for each of these
sizes is different.
If your image is warped, the most likely explanation is that the wrong aspect ratio has been selected on
the projector.
To mitigate this, locate the resize button on your remote.
Press the resize button until the image is no longer warped.
2. It is possible that your display windows are mirrored. This means the computer will output what you see
on the screen to the projector, instead of splitting the images like it is supposed to. To undo this, fnd the small
rectangular icon in the status bar at the top of your screen. Clicking it will reveal display options. Select Turn
off mirroring. The image should automatically revert. If not, reboot Starry Night.
3. If you are still experiencing problems, contact Science First.
What do I do if my image isnt focused?
1. Your Digital Starlab is focused in the factory. However, rough handling in shipping can knock the focus out
of alignment,
Caution: do not try to focus the lens before reading these instructions! Permanent damge may
occur!!
2. To focus, you will need the small hex driver which was included in your system.
Locate the three small set screws roughly 1 inch down from the top of the lens.
Gently loosen the screws. They are very short, so take care not to remove them completely. A few turns
of the screwdriver will do.
Twist the lens clockwise or counterclockwise until the desired focus is achieved.
Tighten the set screws. Take care not to over tighten!
Your Digital Starlab is entitled to lifetime technical support. If you have any questions not covered by
this guide, or if you do not feel comfortable performing any of the above operations, we encourage you to call
us. Our technical staff is standing by to assist you with any and all problems you may have. Remember, there is
no such thing as a dumb question!