Seminole State's planetarium grand reopening

The yearlong renovation and upgrades to the Emil Buehler Planetarium at Seminole State College of Florida are now complete, and the beloved College and community gem is set to officially reopen on Nov. 3. Students and guests will enjoy new acoustic panels, a repaint of the entire space, new seat covers, and the all-new Digistar full-dome projection system. 

In addition to school programs and community events, the planetarium is now poised to be an immersive learning facility for Seminole State students. For years I have envisioned the planetarium to be the ultimate immersive classroom experience. A place where students and the public alike could learn about almost anything in a way a standard classroom couldn’t deliver – a place where anything is possible. 

The renovations and upgrades have transformed the planetarium into such a place – from an aging planetarium to a state-of-the-art immersive learning facility. 

The Digistar system boosts cutting-edge technology that allows for a greater dynamic and immersive experience for students and visitors. The Digistar system can project a wide range of content, including a stunning virtual night sky, immersive 360 video and photos, simulations of the human body, and other non-astronomy subject matter. The dream of the immersive classroom is now a reality as the next-generation planetarium, to explore our cosmos and to GO beyond. 

While astronomy remains at the planetarium’s core, we can now teach almost any curriculum in the dome. We can show Seminole State students a fully immersive human body, explore global datasets from NOAA and NASA, and take them on virtual field trips anywhere in the world or beyond. We can also view the inner workings of a combustion engine or the atomic structure of any atom or molecule. The sky is the limit to what we can do. 

The reopening celebration is scheduled for Nov. 3, from 6 to 10 p.m., and will feature free planetarium programs (reservations required), telescopes and other hands-on activities presented by Seminole State faculty and members of the Central Florida Astronomical Society. 

For additional information about the grand reopening and a calendar of future shows and events, visit seminolestate.edu/planet.