LED Dome — FulldomeFever Glossary

U2 performing inside the MSG Sphere Las Vegas with its massive interior LED display — U2 performing inside the MSG Sphere Las Vegas — the world's largest LED dome venue · Photo: Ludovico Ariosto · Source · Public domain

What is it?

An LED dome replaces the traditional projection screen with panels of self-emitting LEDs covering the dome surface. Each pixel produces its own light, eliminating the cross-reflectance problem that plagues projection domes and delivering true blacks, 10× higher brightness, and 100:1+ system contrast ratios.

Key Manufacturers

Cosm (Evans & Sutherland / Spitz) — CX system; installed at Prague, Fort Worth, Arizona Science Center, Cosm venues
RSA Cosmos (Konica Minolta) — LED domes in Japan, China, India; upcoming Amsterdam, Singapore
MSG Sphere — 16K×16K interior LED; Las Vegas (2023), Abu Dhabi (planned)

LED vs. Projection

Property	LED Dome	Projection Dome
System contrast	100:1+	10–14:1
Brightness	150+ foot-lamberts	4–5 foot-lamberts
True black	Yes	No (cross-bounce)
Lifespan	25–30 years	7–10 years (projector replacement)
Cost	2.5–3× projection	Lower initial cost
Weight	~40× heavier than aluminium screen	Light
Frame rate	60 fps standard	30 fps common

The LED Revolution

Prague Planetarium reported 500,000 visitors and 1,500 consecutive sold-out shows in its first year with LED. Fort Worth Museum calls their Cosm CX system "the world's first LED digital dome of our size at a museum." The format enables sports, concerts, Hollywood films, yoga, and dance parties alongside traditional astronomy.

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