The $3 Million Projector (broadcast Friday, October 24th, 2008)

Copernicus and exterior of Adler Planetarium Photo by Flickr user Marcin Wichary

In the recent presidential debates, Senator John McCain referred to "$3 million for an overhead projector" as an example of wasteful spending. The 'overhead projector,' however, was not the typical piece of classroom-style AV equipment one might imagine, but rather a state-of-the-art projector for planetarium presentations. The projector, which did not receive federal funding, would have been an update to the Adler Planetarium's 40-year old Zeiss Mark VI projector, used in the planetarium's Sky Theater. The planetarium is still attempting to raise money for the projector replacement project. We'll talk with the head of the Adler Planetarium about what the projector is and why the planetarium requested money for it.