Bettendorf High School planetarium presents ‘Christmas Star’ program

The Donald A. Schaefer Planetarium at Bettendorf High School will present its annual “Christmas Star” program now through Dec. 17, according to a news release.

The show will run at 7 p.m. every night through Dec. 17.

“The Christmas Star” is a tradition at BHS dating back to 1974. The show is free of charge but seating is very limited. Call the BHS Activities Office at 563-332-4516 to reserve your seats. 

The script was derived from scientific and theological research and adapted to fit the community. “The program was wonderfully narrated by Frank Gorshe, a Bettendorf chemistry teacher and friend of the planetarium. We were fortunate enough to be allowed the use of Mannheim Steamroller’s ‘Christmas in the Aire’ and ‘Fresh Aire Christmas’ for the background music,” the release says. 

The planetarium has undergone some major upgrades in recent years. In 2017, its original starball was removed and replaced with two fish-eye projectors. “These, coupled with an advanced computer software package and 5.1 Surround Sound, allow for a unique 360-degree experience found nowhere else in the area,” the release says. 

The show was programmed to highlight the capabilities of the new immersive system. Included are the use of 3D videos and images produced and developed by the planetarium staff. 

The Donald A. Schaefer Planetarium serves upwards of 7,000 visitors a year. Much of its use has been with high school students through science, social studies, and English classes. Every elementary student in the Bettendorf Community School District visits the planetarium once a year for a show that extends what they are learning in their science lessons.