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The planetarium show is normally held the first
Wednesday of every month. Called "The Sky Tonight" and hosted by the Fleet's astronomer-in-residence, it focuses on the current appearance of the sky or on current topics in astronomy. It is followed by free outdoor telescope viewing courtesy of the San
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In 2012 the theater was renamed the Eugene
Heikoff and Marilyn Jacobs Heikoff Dome Theater, after receiving a large grant from the Irwin Jacobs family for a major renovation. The planetarium projection system was improved again, and currently uses two Global Immersion GSX systems, each containing two
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to create a new type of star projector that would not obstruct the view for part of the audience or interfere with the movie projection system. Spitz created a servo-controlled "starball" that became the centerpiece of the system, dubbed a "Space
Transit Simulator" (STS). The spherical star projector
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The planetarium incorporated several innovative features. It was to be used for both large-format film presentations and traditional planetarium shows. The 76-foot-diameter (23 m) dome would be tilted 25 degrees. The audience would be placed in tiered rows facing outward into the tilted dome to
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By the late 1990s the science center had become small and outdated compared to newer science museums. In 1998 the science center was expanded (into space freed by moving the offices and construction shops to another site) and modernized to include rides such as the
Virtual Zone, a motion-simulator
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All of the Fleet
Science Center's exhibits, galleries, and a Heikoff Dome Theater show are included in a daily admission ticket. Features include more than 100 interactive science exhibits in 8 galleries, traveling exhibitions, Kid City (especially for kids five and under), Studio X (interactive
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The Fleet is also home to the world's first IMAX Dome
Theater, presenting the biggest films on the planet. In addition to planetarium shows, the museum's founders wanted to use a large-format film projection system to show movies on the dome's interior. The San Diego Hall of Science approached
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in San
Francisco, all exhibits in the science center were required to have something for visitors to manipulate or otherwise participate in. The combination of a planetarium, IMAX Dome theater and interactive science exhibits is now a common thread with most major science museums.
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The renovation include improving the dome's screen with the world's first NanoSeam Dome screen in an IMAX Theater. This system is used for both live planetarium presentations and digital movies. IMAX Dome movies are still shown using the original film projector and fisheye lens.
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of Earth (about three times the radius of Pluto's orbit). A joystick even allowed the operator to "fly" the theater through space, showing the resulting apparent movement of planets through the sky, though in practice the planetarium presentations were always pre-programmed.
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and a number of independent planet projectors maintained a low profile while projecting a realistic sky for the astronomy presentations. These elements, along with a number of slide projectors and lighting systems, were all controlled by a
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Recent temporary exhibitions include "The Art of the Brick, The World's
Largest Display of LEGO Art Made Out of Millions of LEGO Bricks", "Taping Shape, Explore an Unexpected Indoor Landscape", and "Science Fiction, Science Future" .
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Unlike conventional planetariums, which are limited to showing the night sky as it appears from various points on the surface of the Earth at various dates, the STS could show the sky as it would appear from anywhere within about 100
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Permanent exhibits in the
Science Center include Design Zone; Illusions; It's Electric; Kid City; Nano; Power Play San Diego; Pulseworks VR Transporter; San Diego's Water; So Watt!; Space Gallery; Studio X; Sun, Earth, Universe.
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Dome (OMNIMAX) theater, setting the standard that most major science museums follow today. It is located at the east end of the El Prado Drive walkway, next to the Bea
Evenson Fountain and plaza in central Balboa Park.
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490:"Residents' Free Day" for San Diego County residents is the first Tuesday of each month. Other museums and attractions in Balboa Park offer Residents Free Days on different days each month.
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In addition to setting a new standard for planetariums, the science center was a pioneer in modern science museums. Following the example set four years earlier by the
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give the feeling of being suspended in space and looking forward, rather than looking upward into an overhead dome. The founders also wanted to eliminate the large
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offering virtual rides with a scientific bent. The scientific and interactive exhibits then dwarfed the planetarium/theater, so the name was changed to the
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Current pair of Global Immersion GSX dual 4K projectors, for both planetarium shows and digital movies in Heikoff Dome Theater (installed 2012).
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Throughout the 1960s, the San Diego Hall of Science (later known as the San Diego Space and Science Foundation) was planning a new
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At the same time, in-house production of various scientific topics began using video software designed for the dome screen.
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to adapt their large-screen format, but the existing IMAX system was not designed for filling a hemispherical screen.
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for San Diego's Balboa Park, with the possibility of an adjacent science hall. The site on Laurel Street opposite the
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create and invent place), the North Star Science Store, Craveology cafe, and the Giant Dome Theater.
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in 2001. The facility has been cited as a leading example of energy efficiency and sustainability.
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The Heikoff Dome Theater usually features three IMAX films at one time; current films shown are
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Original Spitz Laboratories planetarium projector array in Fleet Theater (installed 1974).
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FleetScience.org: "Taping Shape, Explore an Unexpected Indoor Landscape" (recent exhibit)
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298:. Fleet and his family made the initial gift which established the Science Center.
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The STS was used for many years but was replaced by an Evans and Sutherland
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FleetScience.org: Location & Directions for the Fleet Science Center
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In 2021, the Fleet Science Center received a $ 1,200 grant from
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http://www.fleetscience.org/exhibitions/game-masters-exhibition
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Association of Science-Technology Centers member institutions
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San Diego Gas & Electric, Sustainable Communities Program
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FleetScience.org: "What’s Happening This Week at the Fleet?"
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San Diego Historical Society: "Biography of Reuben H. Fleet"
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FleetScience.org: IMAX Films and Digital Shows at the Fleet
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BalboaPark.org: List of Residents Free Days at Balboa Park
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Science museum and planetarium in San Diego, United States
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and re-branded in late 2016 as the Fleet Science Center.
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California Pacific International Exposition half dollar
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Current Visiting and Permanent Exhibitions at the Fleet
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FleetScience.org: "Giant Dome Renovation in a Minute"
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Spanish Colonial Revival architecture in California
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Bigmoviezone.com: Heikoff Dome Theater at the Fleet
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406:(by Roger Tilton Films) on a double bill.
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225:: City College Stop, transfer to #7
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878:. accessed 10 September 2016.
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114:Show map of the United States
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1169:Morley Field Sports Complex
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178:32.730812°N 117.146971°W
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1139:George W. Marston House
363:First IMAX Dome theater
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86:Show map of California
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1149:House of Hospitality
1099:Bea Evenson Fountain
642:Digistar Users Group
455:Heikoff Dome Theater
247:Fleet Science Center
135:1875 El Prado Drive,
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288:World War II
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235:fleetscience
197:Steve Snyder
1218:Expositions
1209:Zoro Garden
1072:Attractions
1064:Balboa Park
1022:(San Diego)
449:Digistar II
403:Garden Isle
308:planetarium
302:Planetarium
259:Balboa Park
255:planetarium
181: /
169:117°08′49″W
156:Coordinates
138:Balboa Park
124:Established
1452:Categories
1016:(Berkeley)
962:California
747:2023-05-16
600:2019-12-17
534:References
166:32°43′51″N
148:California
987:(Oakland)
143:San Diego
993:(Downey)
837:Archived
738:Archived
648:23 April
625:Frommers
494:Exhibits
328:dumbbell
194:Director
132:Location
1386:Related
1239:Museums
415:tornado
381:OMNIMAX
274:History
230:Website
223:Trolley
1325:People
734:Pfizer
522:, and
472:Pfizer
348:PDP-15
741:(PDF)
730:(PDF)
249:is a
214:Buses
206:SDMTS
150:92101
650:2021
377:IMAX
370:IMAX
294:and
267:IMAX
253:and
245:The
237:.org
127:1973
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