The Amazing and Wonderful STAR LAB!

There are many things I remember from school when I was growing up.  The soccer games, classes, fun times with friends, vigorous academics... but something that really stands out from all of that is the Star Lab.

Have you ever heard of that?  Any time it was at the science fair I begged my mom to let me go inside.  It was even better when the star lab got set up in a classroom and our teacher got to take us inside during a regular class day.

The Star Lab is so amazing.  It is this silver colored dome.  A fan at one end inflates it and all the students get to crawl through a tunnel to get inside.  Once inside, the most amazing thing happens.  All of the students sit eagerly along the edge of the dome and in the center is a cylinder.  The teacher turns the light out, but then turns on a light at the center of the cylinder... and... amazing-ness is born!

Constellations are splashed onto the sides of the dome!  The stars come alive!

I remember sitting there in complete amazement.  There was something about being inside, so close to stars which are normally so far removed... so distant.  If I could experience this again in my lifetime, I think I would again be in awe.  It is just so magical.

Star Lab do you still exist?  If so, can you come to a school near me?


It does exist and now it is in digital form...  good news  Star Lab is only $ 44, 995.  Yikes!  I cannot imagine any school could afford that these days and that makes my heart sad, because the kids are really missing out on this one!

Images found on Google.