Today was Open House Day at Diliman Prep. Though we had expected many more people, we did get quite a number of interested influential individuals, including dear friend Minnie Elizaga and Queenie Escalona, to attend and get interested in the programs and facilities of the school.

The highlight of the day was the opening of the first-ever  digital and interactive planetarium to the public.

Inside the 7-meter dome, our voices was surprisingly audible, as sound bounced off the curved walls. When the guy across us talked to his friends, it sounded as if he was right in front of a mike.  We could only assume that we sounded the same to them, so we had to make sure and whisper only.  The astronomer-guide had to stay a a specific spot in the center of the dome to make sure that every one in the audience heard her perfectly.

We entered as a 5-minute intro video was playing. Then the astronomer guide took over, and we were treated to various views of the day and night sky at precise dates and times. We previewed simulations of the day and night skies are precise moments such as daytime at 11:20 am today in Manila, sunset on April 23, 2010, the night sky in London and at the North Pole, and the view of the skies on an audience member’s birthdate. We “travelled” through Saturn rings, and observed its moons up close.