Beneath this dome in Palermo park stands a tribute to science. The Galileo Galilei Stele honors the great Italian astronomer. Have you heard its story?
The idea for a planetarium in Buenos Aires sparked in 1958. Socialist Councilman José Luis Pena and Secretary of Culture Aldo Cocca wanted to create a place for science. Construction began in 1962 under architect Enrique Jan. The Galileo Galilei Planetarium officially opened on December 20, 1966.
Inside the Galileo Galilei Planetarium, a universe awaits. For the first show on June 13, 1967, students from Banfield No. 1 Commercial School and the College of the Holy Union of the Sacred Hearts were invited. Professor Antonio Cornejo showed them the night sky over Buenos Aires and Antarctica. He even explained how to find the Southern Cross.
The Galileo Galilei Planetarium has a small museum. It houses astronomy-related objects. Among them are lunar rocks from Apollo 11. There are also remains of a meteorite found in Campo del Cielo. This meteorite fell about 4000 years ago.
The building is based on an equilateral triangle. Architect Enrique Jan believed this shape symbolized perfection. He wanted to show the connection between the smallest particle and the vast cosmos through its design.
Until 2011, the Galileo Galilei Planetarium used a device with a hundred projectors. It showed the moon, sun and visible planets. Two spheres projected 8900 stars.
A renovation in 2011 brought many changes to the Galileo Galilei Planetarium. A new projector called MEGASTAR II A was installed. It can display over a million stars. High-resolution images and a DigitalSky II video system now cover the entire dome. The seats were upgraded to 4D types.
The entrance bridge avoids a large pot of 47 m diameter. Slabs from Neuquén contain ammonites. These are extinct marine fossils from about 100 million years ago.
The first floor houses the museum. Here, you can see a moon rock from the Apollo XI mission. The second floor features the projection room. It has the MEGASTAR II A projector and a DigitalSky II system.
Below ground, the Galileo Galilei Planetarium has a library. There are also administrative offices. The engine room and audiovisual production department are located in the second basement.
The Galileo Galilei Stele stands as a beacon of knowledge. It connects us to the stars and reminds us of the universe’s wonders. May your curiosity be piqued, and your appreciation for the cosmos deepened as you gaze upon the Galileo Galilei Stele.