The Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço (IA) is a research infrastructure with a national dimension, embodying a bold vision for the development of astronomy, astrophysics and space sciences in Portugal. It fosters research with the highest impact in the field of astrophysics and space sciences and supports the teaching and training of young researchers and students in close collaboration with the Universities of Lisbon and Porto.

IA promotes wide-ranging science communication activities that enhance public understanding of the Universe and our place in it, as well as awareness of the importance of research in this field. With its activities in schools and public spaces, exhibitions, planetarium sessions and astronomical observations, among others, IA reaches more than 60 000 people per year. The Science Communication group at IA, together with its partners, develops projects on a national and international scale in the field of astronomy and space sciences communication and education.

Set in 150 hectares of English countryside, the Bayfordbury Observatory — University of Hertfordshire, is one of the finest teaching observatories in the UK and one of the largest robotic observatories in Europe, with five of its seven telescopes being fully automated robotic instruments, capable of operating without human intervention.

In addition to teaching and research, the Observatory has an extensive public outreach programme. Visits to the Observatory, whether as part of a public open evening or a bespoke group visit, include a show in the HD planetarium, interactive activities, talks by working scientists, a tour of the site and, depending on weather, a look through the telescopes.

Blackrock Castle was originally built on Cork’s river Lee in 1582 as a watchtower and fort.

In an exciting collaboration between Cork City Council and the Cork Institute of Technology, Blackrock Castle re-opened in 2007 as Blackrock Castle Observatory (BCO), the Space for Science.

Cosmos at the Castle is the onsite internationally award-winning interactive astronomy exhibit. Blackrock Castle is also home to BCO Labs, an active observatory; the close integration of the public exhibition and the laboratories makes BCO a unique centre for research, education & public engagement. BCO has recently added an offsite 32-metre radio dish to its outreach fleet.

Founded in 2000, the Navegar Foundation is an institution dedicated to the promotion of culture, arts and science. It manages the Centro Multimeios Espinho, an iconic building in the city of Espinho, Portugal, where visitors can find a planetarium, an exhibition gallery, a library and an astronomical observatory. The planetarium has played an important role over the years, as special attention has been given to schools to complement the formal educational programme. The Navegar Foundation’s activities include producing and directing planetarium shows, organising educational workshops for students and teachers, as well as producing exhibitions and educational materials.

The Eugenides Planetarium first opened its doors to the Greek public on 7 June 1966. For 33 years, thanks to its Zeiss Mark IV projector, hundreds of thousands of visitors were “edutained”, until it was realised that a total overhaul was necessary, one that would expand the planetarium’s facilities and broaden its activities even further. This new state-of-the-art successor to the old planetarium — one of the best-equipped digital planetariums in the world — was inaugurated on 3 November 2003. The Eugenides Planetarium produces two 40-minute planetarium shows per year, each accompanied by a 100-page illustrated book that expands on the topic of each show. The Eugenides Planetarium collaborates closely with the other departments of the Eugenides Foundation, such as the Interactive Science and Technology Exhibition, the Library, the Publishing Department and the Conference Centre. It hosts and organises various conferences and public lectures, as well as running a Science Café, collaborating with various Greek amateur astronomical societies and maintaining an astronomy webpage featuring science stories and astronomy news of interest.

The Tycho Brahe Planetarium is educational entertainment for the whole family. The permanent exhibition, The Active Universe, holds the answers to some of the mysteries of space, while the 1000 m2 dome-shaped screen in the Space Theatre delivers exceptional movie experiences in IMAX and 3D format. Each show starts with a brief introduction to the current night sky. The Tycho Brahe Planetarium is unique in its combination of astrophysical knowledge and entertainment. A combination that especially suits the primary and high school students who visit the Tycho Brahe Planetarium to learn more about astronomical phenomena.

Bochum Planetarium is one the major planetariums in Germany, attracting more than 150 000 visitors per year. Founded in 1964, it has since remained at the forefront of technological development. A major upgrade took place in 2010, when the state-of-the art full-dome video system Velvet was installed. The system provides a perfectly black — velvety! — background allowing more than 9000 stars to shine brilliantly. The starry sky, provided by one of the best opto-mechanical projectors in the world, the Universarium IX, is freely combined with breathtaking video sequences allowing visitors to completely immerse themselves in the fascinating beauty of space. The Universe in all its dramatic splendour — from stunning flights through our Solar System to captivating images of the most distant galaxies — takes centre stage on the huge dome with a diameter of 20 metres and a seating capacity of 260. The programme includes astronomical shows for adults and children, as well as music shows, live concerts, literature readings and other cultural events. Many shows are produced in-house, guaranteeing a unique experience.

Planetarium Hamburg — opened in 1930 — has an exceptionally long and unbroken tradition of bringing the Universe to people of all ages in a notable earthly setting. It is situated in a historic water tower, located as an architectural landmark right in the middle of Hamburg's green Stadtpark. With around 350 000 visitors each year, it is one of the most successful planetariums worldwide and currently one of the most advanced. Its unique visualisation system combines the latest fibre optic Zeiss-Starball with several compute-clusters for Science Visualisation in Astronomy and Geosciences (Realtime and Prerendered Playback). Skyshows, virtual trips to the cosmos for families and children, lecture series, live star concerts and cultural programmes are presented in a 253-seat “surround sky-theatre“. In 2011 Planetarium Hamburg became the first planetarium in Europe to use Fulldome-stereoscopic 3D technology.

Image credit: Tim Florian Horn
Copyright: Planetarium Hamburg

The Royal Observatory Greenwich (ROG) is one of London’s most popular visitor attractions. Founded in 1675, the ROG has a long history of astronomical research and is the site of the Prime Meridian as well as the origin of Greenwich Mean Time. Now the Observatory’s historic buildings house a museum of astronomy, navigation and timekeeping as well as the Weller Galleries of modern astronomy and the award-winning Peter Harrison Planetarium. The ROG runs an extensive programme of astronomy exhibitions, talks and schools workshops and also provides astronomy expertise for the UK media.