Odessa, Texas/October 21, 2021-Ector County ISD hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony at Odessa High School to unveil the new planetarium.
In 1969, Odessa High School was part of the space movement when Apollo 11’s lunar module landed on the moon. Around that year a science wing was added to OHS and an observatory was built on top of the high school’s roof.
(Scott Muri, Superintendent of Schools at Ector County ISD)
After several years post 1969 the telescopes stopped working and were out of commission and the observatory was closed. In 2020 the observatory was rediscovered by workers working on the roof at Odessa High School.
(Scott Muri, Superintendent of Schools at Ector County ISD)
The Innovation Department at ECISD, Odessa High School, the Education Foundation, the Astronomy Club and Chevron began the process of seeking funding for renovations for the forgotten time capsule.
(Scott Muri, Superintendent of Schools at Ector County ISD)
The observatory will made available to students very soon, and the planetarium portion of the observatory will be used not only for astronomy, but for instruction in other core subjects as well as.
For DRB Media Communications Digital News, Danny Barrera
