Bhargav Joshi · · 2 min read
This year, 2025, is the 100th anniversary of first planetarium. The first modern projection planetarium was started in May 1925. Also, World Space Week is celebrated every year from 4-10 October. It is celebrated for commemorating two key events: the launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, on October 4, 1957, and the signing of the Outer Space Treaty on October 10, 1967. Its purpose is to celebrate the contributions of space science and technology to humanity, educate the public about the benefits of space, inspire students and foster international cooperation. This year the theme of World Space Week was ‘Living in Space’.
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first planetarium and World Space Week 2025, the Amateur Astronomers Association of Vadodara, in collaboration with the Gujarat Nature Conservation Society Vadodara designed a unique outreach initiative for children from Sindhrot, a village in the outskirts of Vadodara and its surrounding village schools. Many children had never even heard of a planetarium, despite Vadodara having one for nearly 50 years.
We provided them with Virtual Reality (VR) headsets loaded with a planetarium simulation app. For many, it was their first-ever experience of seeing the sky in a virtual dome-possibly even the first public VR planetarium demonstration in the country.
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