Thread: Full moon every Hween

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Every year, I check the lunar calendar to see If we'll get a Full moon on Halloween.

Well from what I could tell the next full moon to fall near Halloween won't be until 2012. I can't wait that long! Full moons
and Halloween go together like, like, candy and corn! OK, so maybe that's a bad example...but It would still be cool to have a Full moon every Halloween!
So I decided to build one! I know what your thinking, "Huh?"
Yeah, I built a digital moon.

The Plan: By projecting it (the moon file) onto a black disk attacked to the roof; I can have my own moon!
I call her Agatha: the bewitched moon.

View SWF File

Cool! Do you have pictures of it actually hooked up? I'd like to see what it looks like...

no not yet!
I know that it would work...just haven't gotten around to it?

If anyone is willing to try it out...I'll provide a download file. Just pm me!

Nice!! Really nice!!

Like Specter asked, do you have this rigged up already, or is it something you"ll be setting up for this coming Halloween?
(oops...just saw your post...I guess not yet)

A thought I had, as you had mentioned a black disk to project this on...if this projection is going to be running all night, perhaps a white sheet/screen would work better, if it was circular?
I'm just thinking for maximum brightness - the black screen is going to absorb a lot of light, and unless it's a scrim, you'll need to project from the front.

I'm thinking a large PVC pipe hoop, with a sheet stretched on it, and the projector being behind the screen, so the projector would be on the back side of the house, and completely away from anyone being able to see the source of the movie. The movie should be quite viewable through the sheet, and as it's white, it won't dim out the image (well, too much).

Just a thought, if you haven't already put this together.

Originally Posted by Ugly Joe

Nice!! Really nice!!

Like Specter asked, do you have this rigged up already, or is it something you"ll be setting up for this coming Halloween?
(oops...just saw your post...I guess not yet)

A thought I had, as you had mentioned a black disk to project this on...if this projection is going to be running all night, perhaps a white sheet/screen would work better, if it was circular?
I'm just thinking for maximum brightness - the black screen is going to absorb a lot of light, and unless it's a scrim, you'll need to project from the front.

I'm thinking a large PVC pipe hoop, with a sheet stretched on it, and the projector being behind the screen, so the projector would be on the back side of the house, and completely away from anyone being able to see the source of the movie. The movie should be quite viewable through the sheet, and as it's white, it won't dim out the image (well, too much).

Just a thought, if you haven't already put this together.

for this Halloween! Back projection would be better! And so would a white source instead of a black. I wonder if a white trashbag or frosted plexyglass would let in enough light for back projection?

Originally Posted by Eyegor

for this Halloween! Back projection would be better! And so would a white source instead of a black. I wonder if a white trashbag or frosted plexyglass would let in enough light for back projection?

Both sound feasible...I'd say the only limiting factor on the white trashbag idea would be, if you end up needing to use more than one, you'll have tape seams showing.

That, of course, will depend on the size you're talking.

Me? i was thinking 3 10' lengths of PVC pipe...bend them into a hoop...would give a circle just under 10' across (about 9 1/2').
Admittedly, that's a big sail on top of a roof, but it would also make for a great big moon!
(bracing would simply be more PVC pipe painted black...angled downward to rest on the roof - make certain the "moon" is on the crest of the roof, and the bracing can be even on each side - and, for added security, some monofiliment could be run out as guy wires)

Sounds cool,, I was just thinking of cutting a moon out of plywood and painting it with yellow glow in the dark paint, wish I had a projector though, that would be cool.

What if you do the frosted Plexiglas idea with the LEDS? Like what you guys are doing with the ghost footsteps?

Here's some pictures I found using edge-lit acrylic:











A great how-to on edge-lit acrylic: Modding my apartment. (Making a new door) - bit-tech.net Forums



.

Oh, or a slim light box using frosted Plexiglas like what you were suggesting with the projection in the back. Make a light box instead with a fluorescent light in it:





Also, you can do a back-lit version:

Looks like there are a lot of ideas floating around this concept. I'll be interested to read what people come up with as a solution. I have to admit, I have thought about it as well, but mine was a real low-budget solution. just cutting out some plywood and painting it to look like the moon. Really simple, but difficult to light properly. (Also, doesn't help when the real moon shows you up.)

If people could include sketches and/or tutorials for some of these lighted methods, I'd love to see them.