THE children of Altar­nun Community Primary School were treated to an amazing space adventure when the Space Odyssey mobile planetarium came to Altarnun Village Hall recently.

The planetarium visit had been arranged by staff at the school so that their pupils could learn more about planet Earth and its place in space.

First into the huge Voyager inflatable dome were the younger children, in Class 1, aged from four to seven-years-old.

Space Odyssey's presenter, ex-science teacher Simon Ould (a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society) taught the students about the Earth itself as well as the Sun, Moon and planets.

Then it was time to dim down the lights so the children could experience a breathtaking simulation of the night skies, thanks to a sophisticated planetarium projection system, Cosmodyssee.

After their time in the dome, the children emerged wide-eyed and full of excitement from their adventures.

Year 2 pupil Tegan (aged seven) said: "It was great and it was fun!" Her classmate Thomas (aged five), in Reception, added: "I liked it when it went dark and I could see the Moon and the stars."

Another Year 2 student, Charlotte (aged 7) said: "I liked finding out about the Sun — it is so big!"

Once the younger children had left the village hall, the older pupils in Class 2 were given an opportunity to enter the Voyager dome.

They were led on a more detailed voyage through the solar system and on to explore the stars of the Galaxy beyond.

Mr Ould carefully included lots of ideas the Year 6 students may be tested on during their SATs tests in early May, to ensure that the children were as prepared as possible for any space-related questions they may encounter!

All the children were told about the latest news from space, including the forthcoming repair mission by the space shuttle Atlantis to the Hubble Space Telescope and the recent discovery of the smallest planet yet found beyond the solar system, Glise 581e.

The children were also shown how to recognise important star patterns such as Orion, Leo, Taurus and the Plough as well as where to spot the majestic ringed planet Saturn leaving the evening skies.

The older children were also enthused by their experiences in the Space Odyssey planetarium.  Year 4 student Jed (aged nine) commented: "It was the best lesson ever because of the atmosphere in the dome!" His friend Daniel (also aged nine) added: "It was amazing," whilst their classmate Millie (aged nine) added: "It was great fun!"

Mr Ray Newberry, the school's headteacher, said: "It was very telling to me how enthusiastic the pupils were when greeting their parents at the end of the day, full of what they had seen and experienced.  Well done!"

Following his visit, Mr Ould said: "It was a real pleasure for me to work with the children at Altarnun Primary School. They were very enthusiastic and eager to learn and were quick to answer the many questions I had for them. As a teacher myself, I am keen to ensure that the Space Odyssey planetarium offers a great learning environment for the children and they responded well.

"This was the first time I've visited a school in this particular part of Cornwall and I hope that more pupils in the area will have an opportunity to come into the dome to experience it for themselves."