Students show ‘Hubble-quality’ images as district outlines AI, robotics and makerspace plans

Gig Harbor High School students demonstrated the high school’s observational-astronomy program and district staff outlined expanding robotics and AI work at the Peninsula School District Board of Directors meeting on Jan. 21, 2025.

The student team showed colorized, stacked images of deep-space objects and described the technical process used to capture them. Seamus Roberts, a Gig Harbor student who presented the images, said the program uses narrowband filters and long exposures and called the results “what we believe is Hubble quality imagery.” Mia (student presenter) explained that each gas — hydrogen alpha, sulfur and oxygen — is captured separately in black-and-white, then colorized and stacked to reveal gas composition and structures.

The district’s technology leaders framed those student projects as part of a larger innovation strategy. Mel Benner, coordinator of innovation and technology support, described robot and elementary robotics…