Mysuru set to get one of India’s most advanced LED-dome planetariums

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Mysuru is all set to emerge as a hub for astronomy education and science outreach with the launch of COSMOS Planetarium, one of the country’s first planetariums to feature next-generation LED Dome technology, offering an immersive 8K visual experience.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the planetarium, located at the foothills of Chamundi Hill, on Friday.

Developed by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) in partnership with the University of Mysore, the facility features a 15-metre-diameter tilted LED dome with seating capacity for around 160 people. The system delivers approximately 42 megapixels of resolution using 42.7 million pixels, which exceeds the standard True 8K benchmark and supports detailed, seamless content across the full curved surface.

Unlike conventional planetariums that use projection-based systems, the LED Dome use a dense array of direct-emission LED panels to deliver seamless ultra high-resolution visuals across the entire curved surface of the dome, providing viewers with an immersive experience of the universe.

The project has received financial support from the Department of Science and Technology, Department of Atomic Energy, Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser and the MPLADS funds of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who laid its foundation stone in 2022. The project is steered by the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India and executed by the IIA under an MoU with the University of Mysore.

The planetarium will initially screen a specially produced 12-minute introductory show, ‘Our Home, Our Cosmos’, which explores Mysuru’s cultural heritage and its historical connections with scientific inquiry and astronomy. Produced in English, Kannada and Hindi, the show will be followed by two licensed productions, ‘Cosmos Odyssey’ and ‘Voyager’.

While ‘Cosmos Odyssey’ traces humanity’s understanding of the universe, from ancient astronomical concepts to modern observatories, ‘Voyager’ explores the journeys of the two Voyager probes launched in 1977 to explore Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and their moons.

Beyond the Sky Theatre, COSMOS-Mysuru will house two exhibition halls featuring interactive astronomy models, a dedicated museum showcasing artefacts from IIA observatories, a lecture hall with a capacity of over 150 people and a training centre. A computer laboratory for hands-on astronomical data analysis and a recording room for producing radio programmes and podcasts are also planned, the release said.

An outdoor exhibition area featuring ISRO exhibits and astronomical models inspired by Jantar Mantar, along with an amphitheatre for science discussions and cultural productions, will add to the facilities.

The centre plans to organise astronomy programmes for schoolchildren, teacher-training workshops, science communication programmes, public lectures, exhibitions, solar observation sessions and night-sky watching through telescopes, the release added.

The LED Dome will also be used to explain subjects such as geology, meteorology, oceanography, chemistry and biology through immersive visual presentations.

The facility is expected to benefit educational institutions in Mysuru and neighbouring regions, particularly rural schools, through science education and astronomy programmes in Kannada, student mentorship and teacher training.

COSMOS-Mysuru planetarium will be a crucial regional hub for science education, astronomy outreach and science-based tourism, providing tourists visiting Mysuru a new attraction.

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