The Mysuru planetarium, an advanced ₹116-crore astronomy education and training centre at the foothills of Chamundi Hill, will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 13, according to information published by Prajavani. The facility has been developed on the University of Mysore campus and is designed to combine public stargazing with scientific training.
Built on about 3.5 acres provided by the University of Mysore, the three-storey centre is located within the Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Centre for Higher Learning campus. It includes a sky theatre, an astronomy museum, exhibition halls, lecture rooms, classrooms and training laboratories.
The planetarium’s principal feature is a 15-metre-wide dome covered with LED panels. Unlike conventional planetariums that use projection screens, the facility will display astronomical visuals across the LED dome itself. The dome is inclined at an angle of 15 degrees, a design intended to create an immersive view for visitors.
The system uses 8K resolution technology to display the sky, stars, eclipses and the movement of comets. The sky theatre has seating capacity for approximately 150 to 160 people at a time. The technical framework has been jointly developed by Japan’s Konica Minolta, France’s RSA Cosmos and India’s Orbit-Animate, with Sky Explorer software and the Digistar 7 system being used for the presentations.
The centre is planned as more than a visitor attraction. Its academic activities will include astronomy documentation, space-data processing and coding, along with practical training. Programmes and information will be available in both Kannada and English, according to the report.
The project is being implemented with the cooperation of the Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Atomic Energy, with the Indian Institute of Astrophysics involved in its execution. The University of Mysore will be responsible for the facility’s day-to-day management and academic activities.
The project was formally launched in March 2022, when Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman laid its foundation stone. The report said Sitharaman also provided a ₹5-crore grant from her Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme funds. Construction was completed over four years.
University of Mysore Vice-Chancellor Professor N.K. Lokanath described the facility as a landmark for Mysuru’s education and tourism sectors. Its operational model places the university at the centre of managing a public-facing scientific institution while also supporting training and educational programmes.
The inauguration will mark the transition of the planetarium from a completed construction project to an operating education and visitor facility. Details on its regular public schedule, ticketing and programme calendar were not provided in the report.
