Northumberland schools make the most of new experience

Posted by Richard Fletcher on Jan 9, 09 05:48 PM in Schools

Schools across Northumberland are benefiting from a unique opportunity to meet the stars.

Northumberland's new mobile planetarium has already travelled the length of the county bringing the night skies to life for children, and has been booked up until May with visits to many more schools planned.

The planetarium has been to middle schools in Corbridge and Berwick as well as St Wilfrids Middle School in Blyth.

In the next few weeks it will visit Ponteland Middle School, Dr Thomlinson School in Rothbury, Alnwick Gardens and Newminster Middle School in Morpeth.

The planetarium is the creation of the North East Process Industry Cluster (NEPIC) thanks to a ÃÂ£16,000 grant from US firm Merck Sharp & Dohme Limited, which has a base in Cramlington.

A NEPIC spokeswoman said some schools found a long trip to museums was hard to organise and the mobile planetarium gave them a good opportunity to get the children interested in science.

She said: "The idea of being able to go into schools makes it much easier for them. It's to inspire more students in science and engineering -- this is about trying to enthuse students with a new experience."

It launched in October and this week was unveiled as 'Space Encounters' after a competition for students to think up a suitable name. Year 7 student Ryan Gair of Newminster Middle School thought up the name and won a free day of planetarium activities for the school, a real star named after him, and his very own telescope.

The day costs schools ÃÂ£200 and includes six workshops, with room for 35 pupils at each session.

The planetarium is being made available to Northumberland before the rest of the North East.

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