Interactive Models at the Moscow Planetarium

This extremely appealing and beautiful design uses suspended particles in a "flow-tracing fluid" to reveal every detail of the turbulent patterns when the table is spun by its rim. It is comprised of three hemispheres in differing sizes and colours, mounted on the same table top.

Electricity

Powered by hand-cranks, one part of this interactive model allows you to feel one Peltier Cell become hot and the other cold, if you then turn the handle the other way, you reverse the effect.

The other part of the model allows you to crank the handle whilst using the four separate push buttons. The switches operate four lamps of differing wattages. It shows nicely the increased "load" felt as it is very easy to light the smaller lamps, but extremely difficult to light all the lamps together.

How To Weigh a Galaxy

People of all ages and backgrounds seem to like this model. It uses a ball which is swung around a pole, then if you use the cord to pull the ball in, the ball's speed increases. There is a suspicion of the existence of Dark Matter in distant galaxies because they are rotating faster then the speed that has been calculated from their calculated mass.

Phases Of The Moon

Using the handle, you can reposition the "moon" and see the phases on its face from the light of the "sun".

This simple model works best in a dimly lit area.

Newton's Laws

This hexagonal, low-friction surface holds a rainbow-coloured disc, which gleams as it glides on a cushion of air been blown from numerous small holes. As it floats, it hits the concealed elastic band that runs around the edge, causing the disc to rebound up to thirty times from side to side. This model tends to capture the attention of people who view it for a long time.