Camera Obscura

sketchfab

I had some old lenses lying around and I wanted to put them to use as a camera obscura. Thanks to an online lens simulator and some calculations, I was able to determine a configuration that gives me a variable focal length between one and five meters. This is the somewhat ambitious design I came up with. It's shaped like a teepee with a motorized turret and optics package on top. My goal is to project astronomical or landscape scenes onto the middle of the floor, where viewers can sit around and enjoy the show. The structure stands at a little over three and a half meters tall, which would also be my target focal length. The altitude and azimuth mirrors can be rotated to see the entire hemisphere of the sky. The tent is made of blackout fabric with a reflective exterior to keep a dark area for good visibility and exposure. It's also designed to be slept in. I imagine aiming the turret towards the next day's sunrise, so I can wake up to the scenery and light.