A planetary scanner (also called an orbital scanner) is a type of
image scanner
An image scanner—often abbreviated to just scanner—is a device that optically scans images, printed text, handwriting or an object and converts it to a digital image. Commonly used in offices are variations of the desktop ''flatbed scanner'' ...
for making scans of rare
book
A book is a medium for recording information in the form of writing or images, typically composed of many pages (made of papyrus, parchment, vellum, or paper) bound together and protected by a cover. The technical term for this physical arr ...
s and other easily damaged documents. In essence, such a scanner is a mounted camera taking
photos
A photograph (also known as a photo, image, or picture) is an image created by light falling on a photosensitive surface, usually photographic film or an electronic image sensor, such as a CCD or a CMOS chip. Most photographs are now created ...
of a well-lit environment. Originally, such scanners were expensive and could only be found in
archive
An archive is an accumulation of historical records or materials – in any medium – or the physical facility in which they are located.
Archives contain primary source documents that have accumulated over the course of an individual or ...
s and
museum
A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make these ...
s, but with the availability of cheap, high-
resolution
Resolution(s) may refer to:
Common meanings
* Resolution (debate), the statement which is debated in policy debate
* Resolution (law), a written motion adopted by a deliberative body
* New Year's resolution, a commitment that an individual mak ...
digital camera
A digital camera is a camera that captures photographs in digital memory. Most cameras produced today are digital, largely replacing those that capture images on photographic film. Digital cameras are now widely incorporated into mobile device ...
s, DIY planetary scanners have become affordable, and for instance are being used by volunteer scan providers for
Project Gutenberg
Project Gutenberg (PG) is a Virtual volunteering, volunteer effort to digitize and archive cultural works, as well as to "encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks."
It was founded in 1971 by American writer Michael S. Hart and is the ...
.
Flatbed scanners often come in contact with at least part of the object to be scanned. They also require books to be fully opened most of the time (there are some exceptions where the scanning surface ends at the edge of the flatbed scanner, so that a book can be opened partially). Both practices can damage rare books; For example, opening a book 180 degrees can be damaging to its spine. These scanners are also implemented to scan other fragile documents such as old maps. However, planetary scanners that allow the book to open to a full 180 degrees have special features that protect the book binding from being damaged. Many of those scanners are equipped with self-balancing book cradles, gaps for the binding to be placed in, and pressure-sensitive glass controls. It is argued that by opening the book to a full 180 degrees and using scan glass, the scanner is able to capture further into the binding than those using a V cradle.
[ National Mine Map Repositor]
"State-of-the-Art Equipment at the National Mine Map Repository"
/ref>
Planetary scanners tend to touch fewer parts of a book, and provide an option of only opening a book partially.
Notes
{{reflist
Image scanners