See the Stars at Millholand Planetarium
Published Jul 03, 2008
Curt Spivey, planetarium coordinator and science educator
Zooming through the human body or swimming in the ocean are just two things residents can experience at Millholland Planetarium, a new addition at the Catawba Science Center.
In fact, the 65-seat, digital planetarium and multi-use theater is just part of a larger expansion and renovation of the CSC.
“Over the past two to three years, the CSC initiated a capital campaign called Touch the Future to expand exhibits and programs,” says Mary Katherine Creel, marketing coordinator for the science center. “We raised $3.8 million from community, private individuals and state funding.”
The 1950s-era building has undergone a complete overhaul. The funding from Touch the Future provided a saltwater aquarium exhibit, a shark and stingray touch tank, a freshwater aquarium with fish native to Lake Hickory and a Hall of Astronomy with exhibits on the skies.
As for the planetarium, it joins a program consortium of digital planetarium theaters around the world based in Chicago, New York and other cities. The 30-foot dome shows visitors images of the surface of the sun or can simulate 140,000 stars in the sky as seen from any planet or star.
“Since this was the first renovation since 1980, this was a big deal for the science center,” Creel says. And a big deal for the community. The space theater depicts concepts that are nearly impossible to portray in an ordinary class setting and enhances the science education goals of the North Carolina school systems.
Story by Hollie Deese
Photo by Ian Curcio
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