R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press Adult and children observe constellations displayed on the interior of the StarLab, a mobile inflatable planetarium

By R. R. Branstrom

rbranstrom@dailypress.net

BARK RIVER — A Cub Scout pack in Bark River recently got to experience an inflatable, portable planetarium and a lesson about the night sky from a member of the Delta Astronomical Society (DAS).

Children from kindergarten to fifth grade belong to Bark River-Harris Cub Scout Pack 445, led by Jesse and Jamie Motto. Some of the kids had seen the mobile planetarium before, which belongs to the Delta-Schoolcraft Intermediate School District (ISD) but has been loaned out to other schools and for events coordinated through the DAS.

At Bark-River Harris Schools, where Pack 445 holds evening meetings, Dan Young from the DAS arrived with a few rolling cases containing the parts and equipment for the Starlab. With the help of Cubmaster Jesse Motto and a couple parents, the dome was raised — kept inflated with a fan — and the projector set up inside.

The Starlab was purchased using grants from the Hannahville Indian Community and the Community Foundation for Delta County along with some funding from the ISD. Young said that the planetarium was not brand-new when the ISD acquired it between 15 and 17 years ago, which lowered the price. Though Starlab now has newer models with different technology, Delta County’s continues to impress, educate and entertain.

There are a few different scenes that can be projected inside the dome, but the lesson Young provided to the young Scouts recently was on astronomy. He spoke about the scale of the universe and the different constellations as their patterns shone above the heads of the roughly 20 people gathered within the planetarium, with the humming of the fan in the background.

The presentation coincided with prior discussions in the Scout pack; Jamie handed out simple packets on “Astronomy for Kids,” and the grown-ups helped the children identify their astrological birth sign before sending them into the planetarium to find the associated constellations. Some kids also went in with some astronomy knowledge from school.

At the conclusion of the evening, the Daily Press asked the Scouts what they had learned or found interesting.

“I learned there was a new galaxy,” said Brylee Johnson.

“I learned that – I think I might have knew this, but I just remembered – that the two stars from in the Big Dipper point up to the North Star,” said John Erdody.

“I learned about the constellations and the Big and Little Dipper and the galaxies,” said Jackson Erdody.

“That the North Star is always pointing in the north,” said Ava Erdody, who also recalled that its name is Polaris.

“Small Dipper connected to the North Star,” said Rykel Kirschner.

“I learned that even the smallest constellations can mean something,” said Grady Kirschner.