Looking at the heavens has fascinated humans for many years. And teaching you more about astronomical elements and other things seen in the night sky is the job of planetariums and similar institutions. While exhibitions can be conducted on the various wonders of celestial objects, it’s quite something else to be able to sit down and look up at a simulated night sky.
The technology responsible for such an experience is called a fulldome. It’s essentially a video projection system that allows immersive and interactive stories to be told. While the technology is popularly used in museums and planetariums, it can also be used for other purposes such as flight simulation and virtual reality.
Images shown using such a technology can be better appreciated if it shows incredible detail, a promise that 8K can fulfill.
What 8K brings
You’re probably most familiar with 4K, which many camera systems offer and several television sets support. It basically gives you much clearer and sharper images.
If 4K provides a lot of vividness and clarity, 8K doubles that. An 8K image contains 7680×4320 pixels. To put things more simply: you get really clear and detailed images with 8K.
The term 8K refers to there being 8,000 pixels in an image. It was invented by NHK, the largest broadcaster in Japan, back in 2000.
Basically, what you’re getting with 8K is super clear images, which is needed in quite a lot of industries. For example, a film can be shot in 8K with certain scenes cropped to show greater detail. And being able to capture incredible detail was one of the major reasons the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 production team chose a RED Weapon 8K camera to shoot the film.
An 8K fulldome
Details are important in films that require the heavy use of CG. And an 8K-supporting camera like the RED Weapon is one of those that can provide such fine details. In other words, it allows for more creativity in the creation of products.
With 8K capable of providing top-notch detail, it makes sense then for it to be used to educate people about the night sky and other celestial objects. How better to appreciate the world we live in than by seeing incredibly detailed simulations of objects located far away?
In action
Although 8K adoption has been slow, there are some spaces where it has been put to use. Take the Fukui City Museum of Astronomy in Japan, which showcases videos of the scenic Tojinbo coastal area, the historic Ichijodani Asakura Clans Ruins, and the Fukui skylines. Of course, an astronomical simulation is also shown.
In 2020, television viewers in Japan will get to see the 2020 Tokyo Olympics broadcast in 8K resolution. While this makes for interesting news, only those with compatible television sets can enjoy the wonders of an 8K broadcast.
Then again, quite a few makers have already put out 8K television sets. It’s not just in the realm of film where 8K can thrive. It can also be used for educational purposes, just like the case of the 8K fulldome at the Fukui City Museum of Astronomy in Japan.
