We just got back from the newly refurbished Griffith Observatory.

The new planetarium show is great. It's like being in a gigantic IMAX domed theater. You don't see the new projector. It doesn't rise out of the platform at all. They gave a very nice presentation too. It started out with the speaker walking around the projector with a glowing dome in his hand, and as the sky darkened the globe in his hand dimmed. A very effective professional presentation. I loved it.

The rest of the planetarium was great too. The Leonard Nimoy Theater is a bit smaller than I expected, but it’s fine for what is planed for it. All they are showing now is a short film on the history of the observatory, and the refurbishment. However they say they will be showing live events from NASA and others. Perhaps they will show the shuttle launch next Thursday. The new displays are great. It’s well worth the hassle to get there using their reservation and parking system. I will surly be back many more times once they get back to the normal operation. Here are some Pictures from the trip.