By Lori Dugan/EAC
THATCHER —Eastern Arizona College Discovery Park staff brought the wonders of the solar system to Fort Thomas Elementary School during the school’s annual family night event for fourth through sixth graders.
Using the Eastern Arizona Science Initiative (EASI) portable planetarium, students and their families experienced a 30-minute show titled Search for the Edge of the Solar System. The program took viewers on a journey from the sun to the outer reaches of the solar system, highlighting planets, moons, comets, asteroids, and mysterious objects that remain unexplained.
The presentation offered a unique, fully immersive experience. Inside the dome, attendees lay on their backs as images surrounded them in a 360-degree view, creating the sensation of traveling through space.
The StarLab portable planetarium was made possible through a grant from the United Way of Graham & Greenlee Counties. The inflatable dome measures 22 feet in diameter and 14 feet tall, with room for more than 35 participants. Equipped with a computer and specialized projection system, StarLab offers a wide selection of customizable earth and space science lessons displayed in brilliant color across the dome’s surface.
EASI partners with EAC Discovery Park to share StarLab programs across Graham and Greenlee counties at no charge for schools and community events, as scheduling allows. The next opportunity to experience the StarLab planetarium will be during the EAC Discovery Park’s Gila Valley STEM Festival on Friday, Feb. 27, 2025.
EASI is a collaboration of local educators and professionals dedicated to improving STEM education in eastern Arizona. The initiative works to inspire students to pursue advanced coursework and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
For more information about EAC Discovery Park or the Eastern Arizona Science Initiative, call (928) 428-6260 or email paul.anger@eac.edu.
