Excerpt from “Solar system dome takes shape,” an Oskaloosa Herald article by Deb Van Engelenhoven, on April 25, 2019

“The exhibit, known as the Solar System Walk About, …provide[s] entertainment and learning experiences to appreciate our planet Earth and the universe in which we live.

“This is a concept that started back when I was a kid going to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago,” said [Musco CEO Joe] Crookham. “I was fascinated with the model of the solar system they had and how large the sun is relative to everything else. I just always thought it would be interesting to put together something.”

Crookham explained that the project has expanded in scope now to represent size, distance and time.

The planet Earth 9-inch model will be in front of the 86-foot diameter sun dome providing an amazing grasp of the relatively small size of our planet. The other eight planets, ranging in size from just a few inches to Jupiter at 9 feet in diameter, provide context for understanding the solar system. Saturn’s 14-foot diameter rings provide another view of a spectacular element of the solar system.

An understanding of the distance concept will be provided by a 2,000-foot walkway that provides an appreciation of the extensive distance between the planets in our solar system.”