On April 23 and 24, Hays High School science teacher Thomas Decker organized an event for science students, in which he borrowed an inflatable planetarium from Fort Hays State University and used it to teach the students about astronomy.
“[The planetarium] was delivered by the Makerspace from FHSU,” Decker said. “It is run by George Launchbaugh, who also delivered and set it up for us.”
A planetarium is typically a theatre specially designed for the purpose of displaying films and images for educational purposes. These films are focused on the topics of astronomy, constellations and planets. Often times, theatres are located in buildings such as museums, which allow people to observe and learn about astronomy.
The planetarium displayed at Hays High was a smaller, more portable version with a small projector on the floor and an inflatable dome. Because of this, it can be taken down and moved easily, making it perfect for demonstrations at schools to educate students about the night sky.
“When I started teaching planetary orbits, it became clear that the planetarium would be very helpful in seeing the size and expanse of the solar system, and therefore, the galaxy,” Decker said. “It became an element of perspective over our place in the universe.”
