Import of specialised equipment pushing deadline further
Mysuru: Mysuru’s much-awaited world’s first tilted LED dome planetarium, being built at Sri Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Centre for Higher Learning of the University of Mysore at the foot of Chamundi Hill, has been delayed due to difficulties in importing specialised equipment amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The Cosmology Education and Research Training Centre (COSMOS) is a state-of-the-art planetarium, along with a data analysis training and resource centre for students and teachers. It is being developed under an MoU between the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) and the University of Mysore.
The three-storey facility is coming up on 3.5 acres and involves construction of the main civil structure and allied blocks at an estimated cost of Rs. 85 crore.
Need for specialised equipment
The planetarium was expected to be opened last year, while February this year was later indicated as a possible launch date. However, the installation of specialised equipment is still underway, pushing the opening further.
University of Mysore Vice- Chancellor Prof. N.K. Lokanath told Star of Mysore that most of the civil works had been completed and attributed the delay to difficulties in importing specialised instruments due to the conflict in the Middle East.
“The planetarium will be completed in the next couple of months. The delay is only because of the late arrival of equipment, with only minor delays beyond the original schedule,” he said.
Foundation stone laid in 2022
The planetarium is being funded through MPLADS (Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme) funds from Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, along with support from Department of Science & Technology and Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India. Construction began after Nirmala Sitharaman laid the foundation stone on Mar. 6, 2022. The Principal Scientific Adviser to Government of India oversees the project and IIA, Bengaluru, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology, manages it.
How is the Mysuru facility unique?
The facility will feature a 15-metre Light Emitting Diode (LED) dome planetarium tilted at 15 degrees. Unlike conventional planetariums, which use projectors to cast images and films on a passive dome, the Mysuru facility will use LED panels covering the dome’s interior.
The LED system is expected to provide higher brightness, sharper resolution, a wider colour range and better contrast, resulting in a more immersive viewing experience. The system will offer 8K resolution and eliminate several limitations associated with conventional projection systems.
The planetarium will have no projector. Instead, the LED panels will be directly controlled by a computer system, with shows displayed across the dome itself.
According to project officials, only two such LED dome installations are currently operating for public viewing in the world, both in Japan.
This post was published on September 1, 2026 7:30 pm