Morrison Planetarium Celebrates its 50th Anniversary with a
Digital Theater Installation

Nashua New Hampshire, 18th October 2002

California Academy of Sciences - Morrison Planetarium in San Francisco is to feature a SkyVision High-Definition Full-dome video system as part of its 50th Anniversary celebrations, Sky-Skan President, Steve Savage and Morrison Planetarium Chairman, Steven Craig announced today.

In 1952, the Morrison Planetarium opened the doors to San Francisco’s first planetarium. The new theater aroused enormous interest, using unique state-of-the-art projection technology, the "Academy Projector".

Fifty years later, on November 8 2002, the Morrison throws open its doors once again to show a new and exceptional technology, San Francisco’s first full-dome hi-definition digital theater.

“The Morrison has a wonderful history of technological innovation, and I’m very proud Sky-Skan is playing a part in continuing that tradition.” said Mr. Savage. “The SkyVision system will revolutionize the way San Franciscan audiences see the Universe, exactly what happened 50 years ago.” he said.

In keeping with the new technology, an extraordinary range of new productions is due to be screened. The SkyVision show line-up includes the critically acclaimed Infinity Express: a 20 Minute Tour of the Universe, narrated by Laurence Fishburne (‘The Matrix’), produced by Sky-Skan for the National Air and Space Museum and a 20-minute SkyVision journey, developed exclusively for Spanish-speaking audiences, The Secret of the Dragon, will also feature.

In keeping with the Morrison’s commitment to multi-cultural audiences, Infinity Express will also be available for Japanese and Spanish-speaking audiences.

Assistant Chairman and Show Producer, Bing Quock said “It's very exciting to be able to show the public this new technological innovation, and to do it in partnership with one of the acknowledged leaders in the field of bringing planetariums into the future. I think the capabilities of full-dome video will blow people away just as much as our first simulations of the nighttime sky did 50 years ago, and despite our best efforts in the past, this now gives us the ability to take audiences into deep space to explore the universe more convincingly than ever before. It's my expectation that such a system will be included in the plans for the upcoming renovation of the Academy and the Planetarium”.

Sky-Skan has enjoyed a long and rewarding relationship with the Morrison Planetarium, having designed and installed many of the theater’s existing projection equipment in its 65-foot dome. The theater is controlled by Sky-Skan’s SPICE automation system.

This celebratory short-term SkyVision installation can be enjoyed by the general public from the 8th November through the end of 2002.

For further information contact: Steve Savage, President Sky-Skan 603 880 8500.
Information on SkyVision High-Definition Full-dome video may be found on the Internet at www.skyskan.com.
More information on the Morrison Planetarium and the 50th Anniversary celebrations may be found on the Internet at http://www.calacademy.org/planetarium.

About Sky-Skan

For over 35 years, Sky-Skan has been the World’s leading provider of media technologies and facility design for domed theaters. Sky-Skan’s products and services include their trademark SPICE Automation Show Control System, Dome Screen oriented video and audio systems, specialized image creation software for video and still pictures on domed screens and complete turn-key facility design and construction management services. Sky-Skan has kept its lead in a highly competitive field through continuous R&D and development of industry leading products like the high-definition SkyVision Full-Dome Projection System and its latest tool, DigitalSky: a real-time digital star field and graphics system.

There are over 27 SkyVision installations completed to date and over 250 SPICE Theater Automation systems installed in planetaria, large format film theaters, domed media theaters, museums and science centers over the entire world. Recent SkyVision installations include the first of its kind dual SkyVision projection system at the National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC and the Museum of Transport and Communication in Lucerne, Switzerland. Sky-Skan maintains sales, production facilities and technical support on 3 continents with its offices in Nashua, NH USA, Munich, Germany and Melbourne, Australia.