Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (National Lakeshore) now has an inflatable planetarium dome to enable immersive experiences related to the night sky, the Great Lakes ecosystem, and more.
The dome was recently purchased as part of a grant from the National Park Foundation. A vertically mounted laser projector with a fisheye lens enables detailed 360-degree images and video to be projected on the inside, while a fan provides constant air pressure to keep the dome inflated.
Educators located within 50 miles of the National Lakeshore can now sign up for a team of rangers to visit their school with the dome as well as a variety of other activity stations for students. The stations will be staffed with rangers trained in leading and engaging hands-on activities as students rotate through the stations in small groups to ensure everyone gets a chance to participate. The only requirements to host these visits is a large room (such as a school gymnasium), which is big enough to fit a 17-foot-wide and 12-foot-tall dome along with some additional space to set up the other stations. An electrical outlet will also need to be accessible to plug in the electronics used with the dome. The number of stations can be modified based on the school’s available floor space.
