Cylindrical cardboard boxes, of the type at least one brand of oatmeal comes in, can be used for projecting beautiful images of star constellations on the wall or ceiling. Copy the constellation you wish to study on a sheet of thin paper. (You can find star charts in books on astronomy or accompanying an article on constellations in an encyclopedia.) Place the drawing face down on the outside of the bottom of the box. You should be able to see the star dots through the paper. With a nail, punch holes through the box at each dot. These holes form a mirror image pattern of the constellation, but it will appear normal when projected.
To operate your “planetarium,” take it into a dark room and insert a flashlight into the open end. Tilt the flashlight so it shines against the side of the box rather than directly toward the holes. This will throw an enlarged image of the constellation on the wall. By turning the box, you can study all positions of the configuration.
