PULLMAN – The WSU planetarium is moving towards an update, as a fundraising effort is under way to purchase a new star projector.
Right now, space, the planets and the stars can be seen through 1960s technology. The projector, installed in Sloan Hall when the planetarium was constructed, wows and awes more than 1,000 sixth graders each year, as well as WSU undergrad and graduate students.
However, due to outdated equipment, parts are hard to come by and some functions no longer work, said astronomy instructor Michael Allen.
The projector is an important part of early education, as studies of the cosmos are taught several times in the Washington K-12 curriculum, Allen said.
Go to the WSU planetarium website to find information about donating to get a new projector.