Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium to host new sky show 'Our Sun and Its Family' from March 9

Bengaluru: Starting Thursday, the Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium will host a new sky show called 'Our Sun and its Family: A Journey Through the Solar System for All Ages'. 

The show is one-of-a-kind in the planetarium and highlights the important features of the sun, eight planets and their satellites. 

The 40-minute show will be screened in a 365-degree dome with 5.5 surround sound with new narration, audio track, illustrations, and animation, following the steps of the founder, which ensures that audiences are on the edge of their seat till the end. 

This sky show takes one on a rewarding journey around the solar system and visually enlightens one on the marvels of our galaxy, the Milky Way. The show will be screened every day (except Mondays and second Tuesdays of the month). The show will be in English from 12.30 pm to 1.30 pm and in Kannada from 2.30 pm to 3.30 pm. 

The show was launched by Prof Tarun Souradeep, Director, Raman Research Institute, Bengaluru, and AS Kiran Kumar, Chairman, BASE Council and former chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro). 

Kumar said the people of our country were not aware of the fact that Indian astronomers had played a significant role in astronomy, just as the Westerners did, and hoped that these shows would help spread knowledge. “India has done a lot in cosmology and astronomy, and people must be aware of it," he said. 

Prof Souradeep said: "Shows like these hold potential in providing holistic education about approaches to cosmology, space, and astronomy." 

The show was first envisioned in 1989 by the founder-director of the planetarium, CV Vishveshwara, who originally wrote the script with four others. 

The planetarium's former director, Pramod Galgali, said that in the past, the show consisted of slides. The show was screened with special effect projectors when the planetarium opened in 1989, he added. 

“We kept the original idea intact and modernised the show by adding videos, animation and inoculated mythology, cosmology, and art to create a visual treat for all age groups," he explained.  

BR Guruprasad, the planetarium's present director, wished to be able to show their work to as many students as they could as he believed that the show had the potential to get students hooked to cosmology and astronomy.