Consider this: a gateway to the cosmos right here in Mexico City. That’s the Planetario Luis Enrique Erro. It stands as Mexico’s first public planetarium. It is also one of Latin America’s oldest.
Established in January 1967, the Planetario Luis Enrique Erro emerged during the Space Race. Global interest in astronomy surged. The planetarium’s creation was in response to this growing enthusiasm.
Luis Enrique Erro’s name graces this institution. He collaborated with Narciso Bassols. Together they founded the Instituto Politécnico Nacional in 1936.
Initially, the Planetario Luis Enrique Erro boasted cutting-edge technology. Its Carl Zeiss Mark IV projector contained 29000 pieces. These pieces were of two thousand different types. 150 projectors displayed celestial bodies. The sun, planets, and stars appeared as seen from anywhere on Earth. This covered a period from 10000 BC to 15000 AD.
After some years it underwent renovation. It reopened on January 15, 2007. The upgrade included a Digistar 3 system. This replaced the original Carl Zeiss projector.
Another renovation occurred in 2017. The Digistar 3 was replaced with a Digistar 6. This system uses overlaid laser projectors. It projects an 8k resolution image. The Planetario Luis Enrique Erro then became the most modern in Latin America. It was also the sixth most advanced worldwide. This system facilitates research. It allows the manipulation of projections for mathematical models and algorithms.
The Planetario Luis Enrique Erro features a digital immersion dome. Here, visitors can experience real-time telescope observations. Computer animations of physical, chemical, and biological phenomena are also shown.
The facilities support the creation of works in two or three dimensions. They can create real-time models and computer animations. Video sequences can also be made.
Don’t miss the Mural Gráfico de Astronomía. This mural presents a graphic journey through astronomy’s history.
The International Astronomical Union honored Luis Enrique Erro. They named a lunar crater after him.
The Planetario Luis Enrique Erro also provides children’s workshops. These workshops engage children in space-related activities. They are fun and educational.
The Planetario Luis Enrique Erro invites you to explore the universe. It inspires curiosity. It fosters a deeper understanding of our place in the cosmos.