A Slice Of Heaven

Visitors to Ocean Isle Beach have always come looking for their own little slice of heaven. But beyond the beach lies something close to the real thing.

The Ingram Planetarium at nearby Sunset Beach NC  is where budding astronomers of all ages can discover the wonders of the solar system. The planetarium is part of the Ocean Isle Museum Foundation, which also oversees the Museum of Coastal Carolina in Ocean Isle Beach. The foundation was started in 1989 by Stuart Ingram, a Charlotte resident who frequently vacationed in Ocean Isle Beach. Ingram  was an outdoorsman with a love of learning, who had the vision for a natural history museum on the coast.

The planetarium, an offshoot of Ingram’s passion. for exploring nature, opened in 2002. Ingram went to Sea Trail Corporation, developers of Sea Trail Resort and Conference Center, who donated the land on which the Planetarium was built. The facility includes a 2,000-square-foot exhibit hall, an 85-sear theater and a gift shop.

Scott Kucera, executive director of the Ocean Isle Museum Foundation, said even many locals don’t realize a facility of this caliber exists in their own backyard. “This is an under-appreciated resource in Brunswick County. I’m amazed at the number of  people who have never set foot in here  The closest other planetarium in Robison County, approximately 80 miles away.   The centerpiece of the facility is Sky Theater, which uses a star ball projector in a 40-foot dome to simulate a dark starry night. The theater is handicap accessible and has headphones available fir those who are hearing impaired.

Throughout the year, patrons can see a variety of shows aimed at different age groups. There is even a Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood  show geared toward preschoolers. During the winter holiday season, visitors can enjoy holiday light shows themed to appropriate music.

Mark Jankowski, senior planetarium technician, is in charge of each show. ]ankowski uses an analog system, programming in the different components, including video and slides, for each show. Despite relying on technology to run the programs, each one includes a live portion designed to engage the audience and encourage participation. For every one minute of show time, Jankowski estimates there are two hours of preparation. “It’s kind of an artistic thing. These programs are not turnkey You have to choose slides and add in the script and video.”

In addition to helping visitors visualize movement in the sky, Jankowski said the theater serves many purposes. “It’s not    just astronomy; it’s a life lesson.” Students  returning to their classrooms may use their reading and writing skills to complete a report on the visit. Math and problem solving can also come into play.

The planetarium also offers live sky events, such as how to buy and use a telescope and telescope viewing of different planets and galaxies.

The Paul Dennis Science Hall includes hands-on learning activities for all ages. Guests can take advantage of the ViewSpace Exhibit to catch up on the latest updates available from NASA, learn about the movement of the earth and sun, try out hands-on activities that use math and physics skills and check out the planetarium’s collection of telescopes, both modern and antique.

Approximately 12,000 guests visit the planetarium each year, with about sixty percent coming during the summer months. Twenty percent of the visitors are made up of school groups.

Much of the planetarium’s programming is aimed at children in kindergarten through fifth grade. The content is carefully designed to reflect what students are learning in the classroom. “Our school programs are correlated to science standards in North and South Carohna,” Kucera explained. The staff is in the process of putting together a program for Scouts to earn a badge correlating to astronomy.

To check out the Ingram Planetarium online click here.