Birla Planetarium, Chennai
Encyclopedia
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.
campus. It lies close to the Guindy National Park
in the predominantly wooded Adyar
-Guindy
region known as the Green Lungs of Chennai, enabling it to conduct night-sky observation comparatively easily which is otherwise difficult amidst the glaring city lights in the night. Other nearby landmarks include the IIT Madras, Adyar Cancer Institute
, Anna University
, University of Madras
–Guindy campus and the Anna Centenary Library
. The nearest railway stations are Kotturpuram
MRTS in the northeast and Kasturba Nagar
MRTS in the southeast, both located at a distance of 1 km from the planetarium. The Kotturpuram bus stop lies 2 km to the north.
of Tamil Nadu. The centre started its operations in 1988 with the setting up of Periyar Science and Technology Centre and the functioning of the Birla Planetarium. The centre functions under the chairmanship of the minister of education. The planetarium was inaugurated on 11 May 1988 by the then President of India
Mr. R. Venkataraman
.
There are about 8 staff at the planetarium. The centre has branches in Coimbatore
, Vellore
and Trichy.
, an accompanying special-effects projector and an X-Y table system for simulating various celestial phenomena. The GM II projector has the provision to execute the diurnal, annual, latitudinal, and precessional motions. The pierced hemispherical inner dome of the planetarium, made of aluminium
, is 15 m in diameter. The air-conditioned theatre has a seating capacity of 236.
The total outlay proposed for the Tenth Five-Year Plan (2002-2007) for the Periyar Science and Technology Centre and B.M. Birla Planetarium was 6.4 million, including 2.6 million for the X-Y table system at the planetarium.
In 2009, the planetarium established the 360-degree sky theatre, the first in India, with the installation of a full-dome mirror projection system with a DLP projector. The 360-degree effect is created with the help of Wrap, a special software that takes care of curvature correction. The projector was installed at a cost of 2.1 million.
The planetarium building features a circumferential hall of fame around the main theatre with portraits and statues of scientists and photographs and models of various heavenly bodies, celestial phenomena and space missions. In 2009, the United States
Consulate at Chennai donated portraits of Neil Armstrong
, Sunita Williams
and Kalpana Chawla
for display in the hall of fame to commemorate increasing Indo-U.S. space ties.
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. The planetarium organizes a special show on every second Saturday of month to view the night sky from 7.00 pm to 9.00 pm.
Under Part II Scheme for the year 2011-2012, the state government has sanctioned an amount of 1.5 million for the modernisation of the planetarium by providing six-segment multimedia projection 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. Program themes are changed every 3 months. 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.
Planetarium
A planetarium is a theatre built primarily for presenting educational and entertaining shows about astronomy and the night sky, or for training in celestial navigation...
in Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
providing a virtual tour of the night sky and holding cosmic shows on a specially perforated hemispherical aluminium
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
inner dome. It is located at Kotturpuram
Kotturpuram
Kotturpuram is a locality in Chennai , Tamil Nadu, India. Located on the south bank of the Adyar River, it is easily identified on satellite maps, being situated on a prominent northward bend of the river. It consists mostly of residences and sports clubs...
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
Birla
Birla may refer to:* Birla family* Members of the Birla family:** Aditya Birla** Basant Kumar Birla** Ghanshyam Das Birla** Krishna Kumar Birla** Kumar Mangalam Birla...
, it is the most modern planetarium in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. There are two other Birla Planetariums in India, viz., the one in Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
known as M.P. Birla Planetarium
Birla Planetarium, Kolkata
The Birla Planetarium in Kolkata is a single-storeyed circular structure designed in the typical Indian style, whose architecture is loosely styled on the Buddhist stupa at Sarnath. Situated at Chowringhee Road adjacent to the Victoria Memorial, St Paul's Cathedral, and the maidan in south Kolkata,...
and the other in Hyderabad.
Location
The planetarium is located in the Tamil Nadu Science and Technology Centre's (TNSTC) Periyar Science and Technology Centre campus on the Gandhi Mandapam Road in Kotturpuram abutting the Central Leather Research InstituteCentral Leather Research Institute
Central Leather Research Institute or CLRI is the world's largest leather research institute. It is located near IIT-M in Adyar, Chennai ....
campus. It lies close to the Guindy National Park
Guindy National Park
Guindy National Park is a Protected area of Tamil Nadu, located in Chennai, South India, is the 8th smallest National Park of India and one of the very few national parks situated inside a city. The park is an extension of the grounds surrounding Raj Bhavan, formerly known as the 'Guindy Lodge',...
in the predominantly wooded Adyar
Adyar
Adyar may refer to:* Adyar — a locality in Chennai in the state of Tamil Nadu, India* Adyar River — a river in Chennai city* Adyar, Karnataka — a town in the state of Karnataka, India* Adyar, Bhandara, Maharashtra...
-Guindy
Guindy
Guindy is one of the important neighbourhoods of Chennai , Tamil Nadu, India. It is located in the South-Western part of the city. It is the entry point or the gateway to Chennai city from the Southern parts of Tamil Nadu and the South Western suburbs of Chennai...
region known as the Green Lungs of Chennai, enabling it to conduct night-sky observation comparatively easily which is otherwise difficult amidst the glaring city lights in the night. Other nearby landmarks include the IIT Madras, Adyar Cancer Institute
Adyar Cancer Institute
Adyar Cancer Institute is a cancer specialty hospital situated in the city of Chennai, India; founded by Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy on June 18, 1954. Land was donated by Mr. S.K.Puniyakoti Mudaliar.-Several firsts:...
, Anna University
Anna University
Anna University was a premier technical university in Tamil Nadu, India. Anna University was formed on September 4, 1978, as a unitary university that integrated four technical institutions in the city of Chennai , including the College of Engineering, Guindy, Alagappa College of Technology,...
, University of Madras
University of Madras
The University of Madras is a public research university in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the three oldest universities in India...
–Guindy campus and the Anna Centenary Library
Anna Centenary Library
The Anna Centenary Library is a newly established state library of Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located at Kotturpuram in Chennai, Tamil Nadu India. Built at a cost of 1,720 million, it is the largest library in South Asia. It is named after the former chief minister of Tamil Nadu, C. N....
. The nearest railway stations are Kotturpuram
Kotturpuram
Kotturpuram is a locality in Chennai , Tamil Nadu, India. Located on the south bank of the Adyar River, it is easily identified on satellite maps, being situated on a prominent northward bend of the river. It consists mostly of residences and sports clubs...
MRTS in the northeast and Kasturba Nagar
Kasturba Nagar
Kasturba Nagar is a Chennai suburban station on the MRTS system.Kasturba Nagar station is opposite the Madhya Kailash temple in the locality of Adyar. Institutions like IIT Madras and CLRI are within walking distance of Kasturba Nagar station....
MRTS in the southeast, both located at a distance of 1 km from the planetarium. The Kotturpuram bus stop lies 2 km to the north.
History
The Tamil Nadu Science and Technology Centre (TNSTC) was established in 1983 and is functioning with the financial assistance of the Governmentof Tamil Nadu. The centre started its operations in 1988 with the setting up of Periyar Science and Technology Centre and the functioning of the Birla Planetarium. The centre functions under the chairmanship of the minister of education. The planetarium was inaugurated on 11 May 1988 by the then President of India
President of India
The President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
Mr. R. Venkataraman
R. Venkataraman
Ramaswamy Venkataraman was an Indian lawyer, Indian independence activist and politician who served as a Union minister and as the eighth President of India....
.
There are about 8 staff at the planetarium. The centre has branches in Coimbatore
Coimbatore
Coimbatore , also known as Kovai , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a major commercial centre in Tamil Nadu and is known as the "Manchester of South India"....
, Vellore
Vellore
Vellore It is considered one of the oldest cities in South India and lies on the banks of the Palar river on the site of Vellore Fort. The city lies between Chennai and Bangalore and the Temple towns of Thiruvannamalai and Tirupati...
and Trichy.
Features
The planetarium is equipped with a versatile opto-mechanical GOTO GM II starfield projectorImage projector
An image projector is an optical device that projects an image onto a surface, commonly a projection screen.Most projectors creates an image by shining a light through a small transparent image, but some newer types of projectors can project the image directly, by using lasers...
, an accompanying special-effects projector and an X-Y table system for simulating various celestial phenomena. The GM II projector has the provision to execute the diurnal, annual, latitudinal, and precessional motions. The pierced hemispherical inner dome of the planetarium, made of aluminium
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
, is 15 m in diameter. The air-conditioned theatre has a seating capacity of 236.
The total outlay proposed for the Tenth Five-Year Plan (2002-2007) for the Periyar Science and Technology Centre and B.M. Birla Planetarium was 6.4 million, including 2.6 million for the X-Y table system at the planetarium.
In 2009, the planetarium established the 360-degree sky theatre, the first in India, with the installation of a full-dome mirror projection system with a DLP projector. The 360-degree effect is created with the help of Wrap, a special software that takes care of curvature correction. The projector was installed at a cost of 2.1 million.
The planetarium building features a circumferential hall of fame around the main theatre with portraits and statues of scientists and photographs and models of various heavenly bodies, celestial phenomena and space missions. In 2009, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Consulate at Chennai donated portraits of Neil Armstrong
Neil Armstrong
Neil Alden Armstrong is an American former astronaut, test pilot, aerospace engineer, university professor, United States Naval Aviator, and the first person to set foot upon the Moon....
, Sunita Williams
Sunita Williams
Sunita Williams is a United States Naval officer and a NASA astronaut. She was assigned to the International Space Station as a member of Expedition 14 and then joined Expedition 15...
and Kalpana Chawla
Kalpana Chawla
Kalpana Chawla was an Indian-American astronaut with NASA. She was one of seven crew members killed in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster.-Early life:...
for display in the hall of fame to commemorate increasing Indo-U.S. space ties.
The planetarium also offers courses in astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
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. The planetarium organizes a special show on every second Saturday of month to view the night sky from 7.00 pm to 9.00 pm.
Under Part II Scheme for the year 2011-2012, the state government has sanctioned an amount of 1.5 million for the modernisation of the planetarium by providing six-segment multimedia projection system.
Shows
The planetarium conducts sky shows everyday at different timings in different languages. The shows include the Solar SystemSolar System
The Solar System consists of the Sun and the astronomical objects gravitationally bound in orbit around it, all of which formed from the collapse of a giant molecular cloud approximately 4.6 billion years ago. The vast majority of the system's mass is in the Sun...
, 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. Program themes are changed every 3 months. Shows are conducted in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
. 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.