This is the spectacular largest planetarium in the world, in Shanghai

The vanguard

08/03/2021 7:42 AM

• Clarín.com

• Travels

Updated 08/03/2021 7:42 AM

A total of 39,000 square meters, 300 exhibitions and 120 different collections are some of the figures included in the cover letter of the

Shanghai

Astronomy Museum

, in China;

the largest planetarium in the world

and one of the best places in the world to gaze at the stars.

Inaugurated on July 18, the facilities, which are part of

the Science and Technology museum complex

, have caused a real sensation not only in China, but throughout the planet.

And it is that the dimensions, the wide offer and the

daring futuristic design inspired by astronomical principles and orbital movement will

in all probability make this center one of the new attractions of the city.

Following the geometry of the universe

The project, winner of an international competition held in 2014, reflects through its forms

the continuity between space and time

and incorporates concepts from the history of Chinese astronomy and the country's ambition with its space exploration program.

Built by Ennead Architects, a prestigious New York-based firm that has invested five years in the task, the planetarium

does not contemplate lines or right angles

, echoing the geometry of the universe.

The planetarium does not contemplate lines or right angles, following the geometry of the universe.

Photo www.ennead.com

Thomas Wong, the true architect of this Shanghai architectural marvel, explained that to design the planetarium he was inspired by the three-body problem in physics, as it is a game of complex orbits.

"They are

dynamic relationships as opposed to a simple circle around the center

, and that was part of what the design sought: to capture that complexity," he said.

To achieve this objective, it was decided to use three main forms: the

oculus

, the

inverted dome

and the

sphere

, which function as astronomical instruments, following the Sun, the Moon and the stars.

The oculus, located over the main entrance of the museum, shows the

passage of time

;

the sphere, which is semi-submerged in the planetarium theater, evokes the

illusion of antigravity

, and the inverted dome - a large structure of stretched glass - is located at the top of the central atrium of the building and allows visitors to have a

vision unobstructed from the sky

.

The strategic placement of all these elements guarantees uninterrupted flow through the galleries.

Authorities expect 6,000 people to visit him a day.

Photo www.ennead.com

Augmented reality, virtual reality and biometrics

The facilities, which even from an aerial perspective reflect its

similarity to that of an astronomical instrument

, are largely dedicated to interactive exhibitions, both permanent and temporary.

For this, the

use of augmented reality, virtual reality and biometrics

was chosen

.

A 23-meter high outdoor solar telescope, a gigantic IMAX screen and the extraordinary observatory stand out.

For all this, those responsible foresee that the new museum will receive the

visit of six thousand people every day

.

The planetarium and astronomy museum is a new attraction in Shanghai.

Photo www.ennead.com

And it is that, according to Wong, "the exhibitions and the architecture of the new planetarium of this city of China communicate more than scientific content: they illuminate what

the human being

means

in an immense and still largely unknown universe

."

Magda bigas

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