Home theater companies looking to expand their profit centers were running into a problem when it came to star ceilings. Such products can be fantastic, but the installation time required installing a star ceiling cost valuable man-hours and left companies with a small profit.

Most panel systems available were not astronomically correct, so companies were left with the choice of compromising quality for cost, according to Cyr Ryan, owner and president of FOSI (Fiber Optic Systems, Inc.), a company that makes star ceiling products.

“We recognized the needs of our clients and worked hard to alter the design so that our clients could maximize their profit by lowering labor costs,” he says.

The interesting things about FOSI is that the company customizes its ceiling, including astronomically correct design. The company personalizes each one, generally based on the September night sky as seen from North America, including views of the Milky Way, constellations, comets, and even shooting stars. All of these effects are achieved with the use of a FOSI-patented illuminator.

Blue fibers joining the stars of a particular constellation create a recognizable outline of the constellation. The blue fibers are lit with an additional lamp in the illuminator. A second illuminator is used for the addition of fireworks and sound effects to the night-sky scenery. Their product was on display at the recent CEDIA Expo.