Nova III Harmonic Reed
First Nova III: by Harmonic Reed (black plastic starball) in 1963
200 copies (1963 to 1972)
Nova III and Nova 100: developed in 1962 by Albert Faulkner (engineer)
Designer of the Nova III and Nova 100, Albert was the Head Technician for the Fels Planetarium in the mid 1940's at the Franklin Institute. Albert then worked with Armand Spitz in the early days of Spitz Labs designing auxiliary projectors for the Model A. In the late 1950's he then moved to Edmond Scientific where he designed several popular astronomy items sold by the company. In 1961 he was hired by Tom Liversidge the owner of Harmonic Reed to develop the Nova planetarium.
Harmonic Reed Corp. Nova Laboratories, West Conshohocken, PA
Nova III Spitz = Spitz 373
After bought by Spitz in 1972, Nova III becomes Spitz 373 (white metal starball)
Model 373 = "3" for Nova III and "73" for 1973
Harmonic Reed built the Nova III and the "Spitz" model 373
189 copies (1973 to 1985)
Nova 100
Nova 100:
Nova Junior
Nova Junior: Harmonic Reed Corp, 1954 - early 1970s, Rosemont PA
Sky Zoo: constellation drawings
Nova Home planetarium: ?
More:
- Vintage Planetariums (David R. Webb)
- Brent Abbatantuono, "Armand Spitz - Seller of Stars", 1995, IPS website
- Planetarium Projector Museum (Owen Phairis)