When will the renovated planetarium open in Minsk?

This is what the planetarium will look like after renovation. Photo: planetarium.by

Last year, the renovation of the Minsk Planetarium's observatory tower began, and soon the institution's building will also be closed for modernization. What new features will appear there and when the work will be completed, "Minsk-Novosti" reports.

Last year, the Minsk Planetarium celebrated its 60th anniversary. Its building, as well as the astronomical observatory attached to it, were built on a hill in Gorky Park in 1965.

More than 40 thousand people visit the planetarium annually, said the head of the institution, Alexander Mikulich.

Now the planetarium is awaiting a complete technical re-equipment.

Павялічыць

Photo: planetarium.by

In late autumn, builders began renovating the observatory tower. The dome with its characteristic metal "scales" has been dismantled, and the glazing and elements of the external spiral staircase are missing.

Before the renovation, a telescope was located on the upper level. It was removed for storage and will return to its place after construction work. As Mikulich explained, there are no plans to replace the rare optical instrument with a more modern one. The observatory's telescope is indeed vintage – from the Carl Zeiss company, with a focal length of 1950 mm and 300x magnification. Such were produced at the beginning of the last century.

"This is a working museum exhibit, high-quality and reliable. Not many of these have survived worldwide," notes the head of the planetarium.

With the help of this instrument, the brightest astronomical phenomena, such as solar and lunar eclipses, can be observed from the city center, and planets of the Solar System, star clusters, and nearby galaxies can be viewed. It is quite possible to see Saturn's rings and Jupiter's bands. And the Moon can be studied in all its details, with its craters and mountains.

The observatory tower will also change. Work is underway to reinforce its load-bearing columns, replace the external stair flights, and install new stained-glass windows.

"But most importantly, the building will get a modern dome with shutters, which will rotate 360 degrees. This is a rather expensive structure, equipped with an electric drive," Mikulich explains.

The dome's rotating mechanism allows the telescope to be aimed at any object in the sky. However, there are currently natural limitations: the trees in the park have grown taller than the observatory. The issue of how to improve horizon visibility and prevent plantings from hindering astronomical observations is planned to be resolved jointly with "Minskzelenstroi," as every tree in the green zone is of great value.

"We tried to preserve the historical appearance of the observatory. After renovation, it will remain with white facades and dark window frames," says Mikulich.

The object is planned to open in spring.

As for the planetarium building itself, it also awaits major changes. Renovation will begin in the first quarter of 2026. The standard construction period is about six months.

"We will completely replace communications and electrical networks. A re-planning of the internal premises is expected in accordance with modern sanitary standards. Serious technical re-equipment is also planned," Mikulich shares.

Firstly, a computer class will appear for educational purposes: interest clubs operate at the planetarium. Secondly, a sound recording and video editing studio is planned to be equipped. It will allow for the creation of original digital multimedia content. Thirdly, major transformations will affect the dome cinema: the star hall will have modern furniture and new-level projection equipment installed.

"Currently, we have a Carl Zeiss ZKP1 first-generation projector. It allows us to demonstrate the starry sky of the Northern Hemisphere. After purchasing new equipment, it will be possible to show both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres in improved quality, displaying constellations and their outlines. The digital projection system for favorite full-dome films also awaits improvements," Mikulich explains.

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