TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — On November 18, the Vigo Co. School Board held its monthly meeting.
The November 2024 Vigo County School Board meeting saw a change of scenery. It was held at the newly-upgraded Gibson Allen Memorial Planetarium, located at Terre Haute South High School. The upgrade was made possible by a gift from the Gibson Family Foundation and the Vigo County Education Foundation. Planetarium director Katie Miller says the difference is night and day.
“We have really upgraded the system significantly,” Miller said. “Instead of just stars and points of light, I’m able to show planets, constellations with outlines and different shapes and colors, several different astronomical phenomena that are very difficult to show with just little bits of light. I get to really immerse my viewers in the experience.”
the Vigo County School Board had the opportunity to be viewers for a presentation by Miller. Superintendent Dr. Chris Himsel says it was great to see the end result of a project that the board approved earlier in the year.
“I think the last time I’d been in a planetarium like this was probably back when I was in sixth or seventh grade,” Himsel said. “All I can say is that it is obvious that the technology and the capability is far greater than any of the older systems, and I was blown away by the capability, different things it can do.”
The planetarium software can also be used for other curriculums outside of astronomy. It has the ability to take you anywhere on the globe and connect with the language or literature. Miller says it is a huge asset for the school corporation.
“It’s really hard to describe what it looks like and to get across the new immersiveness that the technology has,” Miller said. “I’m really honored to get to be the person to share this with the community. I think it’s such a valuable resource, and I can’t believe that our school corporation owns this and that we get to share this with not only my students, but the community at large.”
For more information on the planetarium or to plan your visit, click here.
