In H. Králové, the construction of a planetarium will begin for more than 100 million crowns

Photo: www.astrohk.cz

Hradec Králové - In Hradec Králové, construction of a new digital planetarium worth more than 100 million crowns is expected to start next summer. The new planetarium, with a hundred seats and a unique projection system, should be operational by the end of 2014. Jiří Hošna from the press department of the Hradec Králové Region said this to ČTK.
    "The Hradec Králové Region received a grant of 104.7 million crowns for the digital planetarium project from the Operational Program Research and Development for Innovations. We believe that this will increase interest among the younger generation and the general public in the results of science and research, especially in natural sciences and technical fields," stated the governor of the Hradec Králové Region, Lubomír Franc.
    A new building covering over 800 square meters will be constructed next to the Hradec observatory in Nový Hradec; the special projection area will be in the shape of a hemisphere. "The projection system will cover its entire surface with several projectors, allowing visitors to enjoy a spatial projection of the starry sky, as well as videos from other areas of human knowledge," Hošna mentioned. Exhibits titled Microworld - Macroworld and Energy - Its Forms and Transformations will be placed around the hall, where it will be possible to observe physical phenomena in natural processes.
    A planetarium from 1958 operates at the Hradec observatory, which is the oldest and also the smallest similar facility in the Czech Republic and no longer meets technical and spatial requirements. The observatory and planetarium in Hradec Králové specializes in educational programs for school youth. More than 50,000 people visit the facility annually, making it one of the five most visited observatories in the Czech Republic.