One year after the launch of a fundraising campaign to support a major Allen F. Blocher Planetarium technology upgrade, the system is ready to launch for the public.
The aging computer software and hardware was replaced in order to integrate with the latest version of the Planetarium’s Digistar projection software with enhanced features. The installation, completed in early Sept. 2026, includes more powerful servers, new computer consoles with connected devices, controlled from a single interface for better show control. It also provides access to the system’s cloud library with shared 3D models, presentations and fulldome shows.
“The upgrade connects our Planetarium to a worldwide community of Digistar users and an expanding library of educational and immersive resources,” said Professor Sebastian Zamfir, Blocher Planetarium director. “This platform allows us to continue our mission to provide high-quality programs to a vast community of learners of all ages.”
The updated system comes just in time for a new semester schedule of shows open to the public on Sunday afternoons and will benefit dozens of campus groups the Planetarium serves throughout the year. Faculty in the Department of Psychics and Astronomy also utilize the Planetarium as a course resource.
Zamfir said the upgrade permits more detailed, realistic, and dynamic experiences. Digistar 26 emphasizes high-quality real-time rendering, scientific visualization, multilayer content, and advanced display capabilities. UW-Stevens Point secured a generous gift from UWSP alumni Don and Judi Olson to entirely fund the technical updates for the Planetarium.
The Olsons previously stepped forward with a legacy contribution, funding the renovation of exhibit spaces on the Science Building main floor for the Olson Museum of Natural History, named for them in 2024.
“We understood the need for future operations and we stepped forward because of the synergy between the Planetarium and the Museum,” the Olsons shared.
Planetarium shows will be offered at 2 p.m. on Sundays during the fall semester. All regular public shows are around one hour long and include a 25-min presentation focusing on the current night sky of Central Wisconsin (bright stars, constellations, planets, etc.) All events are free, but donations are appreciated and help continue these programs.
Find more information about the Blocher Planetarium at uwsp.edu/school-of-mathematics-computing-physics-and-astronomy/planetarium/.