A hi-tech astronomical gallery will soon come up at the Regional Science Centre and Planetarium here, the first of its kind in the country.
"With the U.N. declaring 2009 as the International Year of Astronomy, we have drawn up plans to set up the exclusive gallery, first of its kind in the country, in June 2009," planetarium project coordinator V.S. Ramachandran said.
Though Bangalore has a Space Science Gallery, none of the 28 planetariums in the country have a gallery dedicated to astronomy dealing with the science of celestial bodies.
He also said that the planetarium was among the first to construct a "Hall of Human Endurance" to showcase the inextricable role of science and technology in modern day sporting activities.
"The Rs 50-lakh 6,000 sq. ft. hall is designed to project the role of science in the field of sports with a gallery depicting various physiological functions in human body," he said.
"Several sports personalities, including former ace athlete P.T. Usha, now running an athletic school, are among the regular visitors to keep themselves fit," he said.
The centre recently set up a "Mirror Magic" gallery at a cost of Rs 22 lakh. "You can have several interesting experiences like floating in the air, vanishing image, seeing only a side or back of your body, rotating image or tunnel of infinite depth," Mr. Ramchandran said.
Other prime attractions at the centre here include a Science Park, 3-D fantasy shows and a Fun Science gallery which contains exhibits to elucidate various theorems and phenomena in physics, chemistry and astronomy.
"To popularize the activities of the centre we recently held a session for auto drivers who are the real messengers for tourists visiting the area and this concept was widely appreciated at the planetariums' meet held at Goa in January this year," he said.
Similarly, hotel managers and tourist operators' meets were also held regularly at the centre to popularize its activities. "We also conduct mobile exhibitions covering the entire Malabar region, comprising six districts," he said.
On the planetarium topping the list of receiving maximum number of visitors, a record five lakh this season, Ramachandran said "the phenomenal growth is due to the concerted effort of the team of officials striving hard".
The centre also proposes to set up a "Children's Park" by the year-end, besides having a fully-automated digital planetarium by the year 2010-11.
The planetarium will also have a 24-ft long "Foucault's Pendulum" to show that the Earth rotates on its own axis once in every 24 hours.
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