World-class immersive experiences for Poland’s historical planetarium & renowned science park

Śląski Park Nauki , the Silesian Planetarium – Science Park, home to the largest and oldest planetarium and astronomical observatory in Chorzow, in Poland, underwent an impressive modernization with the installation of leading immersive facilities. We installed not one but two leading immersive environments!

A technological leap forward closely followed by Mateusz Morawiecki, Poland’s prime minister, who took part in the opening ceremony. 

We metamorphosed the impressive 23m dome of the planetarium with our long-term partner AB-Micro, installing a powerful Real 8K Hybrid system using 10 x 4K Sony GTZ380 projectors, a starball totally hybridized with our software SkyExplorer, a seamless Ulteria screen from Astro-Tec, and great interactive and interconnected technologies!
We also set up a LED CAVE with SkyExplorer with a local company.

A Real 8K Hybrid system in Poland’s largest and oldest planetarium!

The Silesian Planetarium is Poland’s very 1st planetarium, established back in 1955 to commemorate the great astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus.

For the upgrade of the planetarium, we installed with our long-term Partner AB-Micro, in the impressive 23m dome, 10 x 4K VPL-GTZ 380 Sony projectors along with our software SkyExplorer, hybridized with a starball projected onto a seamless Ulteria screen from Astro-Tech, to offer breathtaking journeys through the Universe and amazing night sky observations.

Sony’s VPL-GTZ380 projectors reach 10 000 lumens each through a laser light source, achieve very high levels of contrasts thanks to the SXRD 4K panels, and offer rich colors reproducing 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut without losing any brightness.

By combining Sony’s projectors and our powerful software SkyExplorer, we achieve the highest image quality and rendering with the finest level of pixel.

“When I saw the new stars in our Planetarium I was aghast” – says Jarosław Juszkiewicz – the Silesian Planetarium spokesman and author of several planetarium shows – “before the upgrade of the system we’ve been limited by the old technology. Our old Zeiss projector was a piece of mechanical art but it was built in 1955 and it deserved its retirement. Now, we can show millions of stars and use SONY projectors to show anything we can think of on the dome. The first show created by the Silesian Planetarium called “Myriads of Parsecs of Space Journey” uses new system and takes the viewers to a journey which begins… in the coal – mine and ends on the bottom of an ocean”.

To take the immersive experience to the next level, we also installed powerful interactive and interconnected tools.
Starting with  our unequalled technology the Full iPad Control, enabling planetarium operators to enjoy the exact same graphical user interface and content on the iPad & on the dome, and interact with the audience directly from the dome. Then a gamepad bringing smoother controls to fly through Saturn’s rings or around our 3D Volumetric Milky Way for example and can even be handed over to the audience to let them play. Last but not least, the JL Cooper Eclipse manual console enabling planetarium operators to go to their control desk at any time and control SkyExplorer without even needing to switch on the screen of the computer. This console with its customizable control surface offers users superior levels of control, great ease-of-use and tactile assurance, for smooth and fast controls. 

A 3D interactive immersive experience in the LED CAVE with SkyExplorer!

The LED CAVE with SkyExplorer offers an innovative and interactive scientific experience.

“The LED CAVE is another game changer loved by our guests – it’s great addition to our astronomy exhibition” – says Juszkiewicz – “the 3d images of stars, planets and other celestial objects generated by this system is so realistic that viewers often try to grab them.”

Two groundbreaking installations to discover in an exceptional historical site! 

Many thanks to the Silesian Science Park and Slaskie Planetarium teams, and to our long-term partner AB-Micro, for these great installations!