31 July 2020
The Adelaide Planetarium will be re-opening tomorrow (Saturday, August 1 2020) after being closed since March due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Visitors will be again be able to watch projections of the sun, moon, planets and about 5000 stars on the dome of the Planetarium without leaving the comfort of their seat.
There will also be some new attractions – both on and off the Planetarium’s big screen.
This will be the first-time visitors can see the Huckitta meteorite on display in its new home since its move from storage at the SA Museum to the Planetarium at Mawson Lakes earlier this year.
The Huckitta meteorite is a rare type of metallic meteorite called a “pallasite” - one of only 95 in the world. It was recovered in 1937 from a cattle station in the Northern Territory where it was used as a mustering point and known as “The Black Rock”.
Adelaide Planetarium spokesperson Allison Price says it is an exciting experience for visitors to get up close to a 4.5 billion-year-old meteorite. The Planetarium will also be showcasing four new movies.
“We are excited to welcome everyone back to the Planetarium and share the experience of the Night Sky and the Huckitta meteorite with our visitors,’’ Ms Price says. “We now have 12 movies on rotation in our Saturday sessions ranging from those aimed at kids to advanced astronomy and everything in between.”
Located 30 minutes north of the city at UniSA’s Mawson Lakes campus, the Adelaide Planetarium houses its own Zeiss Jena star projector in the dome-shaped room featuring an eight-metre night sky projection. As one of the few planetariums in the world still operated manually, the Adelaide Planetarium is often used for specialised presentations and flexible teaching purposes.
Visitors will be able to attend multiple viewing sessions offered every Saturdays and is also available for School Sessions during the week or private bookings.
There will be enhanced safety and social distancing measures in place. The number per sessions are limited due to social distancing. Bookings are essential as seats are limited. Visitors to the Adelaide Planetarium can book on its website: www.unisa.edu.au/planetarium.
Media contact: Allison Price office +61 8 8302 3138 mobile: +61 430 827 717
email: adelaide.planetarium@unisa.edu.au
