B.M. Birla Planetarium is a large
planetarium in
Chennai providing a virtual tour of the night sky and holding cosmic shows on a specially perforated hemispherical
aluminium inner dome. It is located at
Kotturpuram in the Periyar Science and Technology Centre campus which houses eight galleries, namely, Physical Science, Electronics and Communication, Energy, Life Science, Innovation, Transport, International Dolls and Children and Materials Science, with over 500 exhibits. Built in 1988 in the memory of the great industrialist and visionary of India B.M.
Birla, it is the most modern planetarium in
India. There are two other Birla Planetariums in India, viz., the one in
Kolkata known as
M.P. Birla Planetarium and the
other in
Hyderabad.
Features
The planetarium was inaugurated on 11 May 1988 by the then
President of India Mr.
R. Venkataraman. The planetarium demonstrates the advances in science and technology using a versatile GOTO GM II
projector, an accompanying special-effects projector and the X-Y table system, recreating some of the most awe-inspiring celestial phenomena. The pierced inner dome of the planetarium is made of
aluminium. The fully air-conditioned theatre has a seating capacity of 236. The planetarium also offers courses in
astronomy and night-sky observations. There is a seminar hall and a classroom studio at the planetarium, where discussions and workshops are conducted by eminent personalities in the field of astronomy. These, along with the presence of the highly sophisticated and versatile GM II projector, which has the provision to execute the diurnal, annual, latitudinal, and professional motions, make it the most modern planetarium in the country.
Shows
The planetarium conducts sky shows everyday at different timings in different languages. The shows include the
Solar System, sky and seasons, eclipses, Man on Moon,
comets, shooting
meteoroids, stellar cycle and the deep sky. Audio-visual programs on various aspects of astronomy and different cosmic phenomena are also shown. Shows are conducted in
English and
Tamil. The planetarium and the Science and Technology Centre is open on all days except on national holidays from 10:00 am to 5:45 pm.
Location
The planetarium is located on the Gandhi Mandapam Road in Kotturpuram abutting the
Central Leather Research Institute campus. It lies in the predominantly wooded
Adyar-
Guindy region known as the 'Green Lungs of Chennai', close to the
Guindy National Park. Other nearby landmarks include the
IIT Madras,
Adyar Cancer Institute,
Anna University and the
Anna Centenary Library. The nearest railway stations are
Kotturpuram MRTS and
Kasturba Nagar MRTS, both located at a distance of 1 km from the planetarium.
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