Mysore/Mysuru: Come February 2026, the world’s first dome-shaped, state-of-the-art Planetarium will be inaugurated in Mysuru.

The project is coming up on 3.5 acres of land at Sri Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Centre for Higher Learning of the University of Mysore (UoM), foot of Chamundi Hill.

It involves construction of the main civil structure and allied blocks at an estimated cost of Rs. 85 crore including Rs. 5 crore MPLAD (Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme) funds from Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

UoM Vice-Chancellor Prof. N.K. Lokanath told Star of Mysore that the civil works have been completed and the facility is expected to open next month.

Interior works and installation of equipment are currently progressing at full speed, he said.

The project is being overseen by the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India and is managed by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.

Part of COSMOS project

The Planetarium is part of the Cosmology Education and Research Training Centre (COSMOS) project taken up with support from the Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India.

Construction began after Nirmala Sitharaman laid the foundation stone on March 6, 2022. The facility is being developed through a collaboration between the UoM and IIA.

Date after Budget Session

UoM VC Prof. Lokanath said the inauguration date is expected to be announced by the Finance Minister after the conclusion of Parliament Budget Session. The ceremony is likely to be held in the third or fourth week of February.

He added that he has inspected the site several times and is in constant coordination with IIA officials regarding the inauguration arrangements.

Out of the University’s 25-acre land parcel at the Chamundi foothills, 3.5 acres were allotted to IIA for the project. The three-storey building has come up amid the scenic natural surroundings and is envisioned as a hub for cosmology education, research and training.

The facility features a visually striking 15-metre Light Emitting Diode (LED) dome Planetarium with a 15-degree tilt.

The LED dome uses arrays of lights mounted directly on the interior of the dome, creating a seamless and immersive visual experience. It offers superior brightness, sharper resolution, a wider colour range and improved contrast compared to conventional projection-based Planetariums, resulting in vivid and vibrant visuals.