PLANETARIUM
Immerse yourself in the Infinite Universe!
Events are held in basic Italian; to request meetings in English, please contact us through our email address: planetariofst@operalaboratori.com
MORE THAN 10.000 VISITORS PER YEAR
The planetarium is a favorite place for families, students, astronomy enthusiasts and those who want to deepen their knowledge and understanding of celestial phenomena.
The new Planetarium Digistar Lite, acquired thanks to the support of the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze, is a device that allows astronomy to be displayed in a revolutionary way. This extremely versatile instrument makes it possible, in fact, to move through time, select a star or constellation, and explore celestial objects even far away. The 3D map of the Universe allows the viewer to navigate through space, as if on a spaceship, browsing through nebulae, galaxies and planetary systems.
Nine answers to nine questions about our planetarium!
How does a planetarium work?
A planetarium is a kind of time machine, capable of showing us what the sky looks like now, in the past, and in the future. We can see how planets move across the sky, how stars and constellations evolve, we can see celestial phenomena such as eclipses of the Sun and Moon, the passage of comets, from all points on Earth. What we have learned over the centuries about the laws governing the motion of the stars, planets and Earth is encapsulated and incorporated in the Planetarium.
The earliest objects that can be compared to a modern Planetarium date back to Ancient Greece. Nowadays we have two major categories of Planetariums: optomechanical Planetariums, and Digital Planetariums. The first optomechanical Planetarium was opened to the public in 1925 at the Deutsches Museum in Munich. The machine of that type that worked in Florence is on display in the Gallery of Astronomy , at the entrance to the Science and Technology Foundation Museum: it projected a small beam of light for each star and planet onto the vault of the room in which it operated. Much more flexible are the Digital Planetariums (one of which is operating now in the Foundation’s Planetarium).
An algorithm running in a PC, similar to those at home, generates an image of the sky that is projected onto the dome of the room, with stars, constellations, planets. And much more! From the data collected in their work by astronomers, images can be processed, edited into movies produced by research organizations such as ESO, ESA, NASA, which are then projected onto the dome (fulldome, in technical terms) and which “land” the viewer on the surface of a planet or comet, and which “make them travel” inside the clouds of gas and dust in which stars form; to the center of our galaxy, to the threshold of a black hole: a fascinating experience, under the guidance of our space navigators, the expert planetarists working in the Foundation, that gives the complete sense of being there, true “citizens of the Universe.”
What types of programs do you show in your planetarium?
Diversified programs according to the audience. We have programs in the Planetarium for schoolchildren ranging from kindergarten to high school, obviously adapted to the audience, and on topics by request; a laboratory experience can be added upon request. We offer Sunday shows for families; and the possibility of birthday celebrations, for children and otherwise for enthusiasts. During the week, on Wednesdays, we have the “Celestial Dialogues” series: led by experts, the program of conversations ranges from basic astronomy, to various aspects of astrophysics, to the interaction between art and astrophysics, all always supported by Planetarium images. Programming can be found on the Planetarium’s webpage or FB page
What kind of projector do you use to view stars and planets?
We use a digital projector, programmed by software running on a PC like the ones we have at home, which does all the necessary calculations to show stars, planets and galaxies in the position they occupy in the sky now, and, taking into account all the Earth’s motions, in the position they occupied in the past and will occupy in the future; and you can see them as they appear from anywhere on Earth. Since it can project movies, it is also capable of adapting the images, which are flat photographs, to the projection on a round dome, with the viewer in the center of the scene, just as we see a panorama in the mountains or by the sea.
How are the images we see on the ceiling created?
They are generated by a PC, and projected onto the dome vault by a “fish eye” projector.
How realistic is the representation of the sky in your planetarium?
The depiction of the sky is very accurate: all the laws and gravitational interactions between the planets are included in the software, as are the motions of the Earth; and the visualization of the sky at the time of Dante, at the time of Ulysses, at the time of the cave paintings, or, in the future, hundreds of thousands of years from now, is reliable, to the limit of our knowledge. The videos, fulldome or not, are the product of observations made by astronomers for their research, and are disseminated for popularization and educational purposes by entities such as NASA, ESO (European Southern Observatory), ESA (European Space Agency), JAXA (Japan Space Agency), etc., and thus represent the Universe as we know it, state of the art.
How long does a session at the Planetarium last?
Normally, 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the age of the audience, and the topic of discussion.
Are there any programs suitable for children?
Certainly, it is our care to try to interest even the youngest children in the wonders of Heaven.
Can I see the current constellations and planets in your show?
Yes. It is also our care to always present the sky that can be seen at night from Florence.
Are there any special events or exhibitions going on at the Planetarium?
Yes, to follow the succession of events we organize, the advice is to consult the web page or FB. The Instagram page often features pictures and short discussions, written by astrophysicists who collaborate with the Planetarium, on topics and events related to our theme.
Astronomy Pills - from our blog
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PLANETARIUM PRESENTATION
LIS
Video presentation of the Science and Technology Foundation’s Planetarium, with subtitles, audio in Italian and translation into LIS (Italian Sign Language). Produced thanks to a grant from the Fondazione CR Firenze as part of the call for proposals “Cultural Laboratories – digital innovation and new audiences in museums”
experience the fascinating world of astronomy
The Planetarium offers, in a spectacular and engaging way, a view of the starry sky as it appears from every point on Earth; space navigation software allows viewers to move among the stars, venturing on interplanetary and interstellar journeys, exploring the space between the Milky Way and other galaxies.
