Councilor Fernàndez inaugurates the renovated Montsec Astronomical Park, which begins the season

Improvements have been made to the projection system and the installation has been remodeled, the capacity of the planetarium has been increased to 26% and the space has been adapted to make it accessible for people with reduced mobility

The Astronomical Park of Montsec starts the 2023 season today and it also does so by debuting the improvements made to its facilities to bring science closer to the public and make known the spectacular sky of the Serra del Montsec.

As novelties for the season, the renovation of the L’Ull del Montsec planetarium stands out, a unique installation that has been equipped with a 3D full dome – 360 projection system (the largest audiovisual format in the world) where the productions in 6K allows you to see the stars very closely. The new multimedia room and the new star simulation model allow you to virtually navigate through space in two and three dimensions and understand its origin, structure and evolution.

Councilor Fernández highlighted the improvements made “in a unique place in the world, a global benchmark in the field of leadership and also as a space for dissemination that, with this investment of 600,000 euros that has allowed it to be renovated and expanded ne capacity, we also help promote that it continues to be a pioneer in space science”. For Fernández, “we always refer knowledge to big cities, but here, in Noguera, we have a generation of scientific knowledge. One of the Government’s strategies is to have tractor projects everywhere that make things happen in the territories”.

Improvements have also been made that allow users to visualize the Earth in high resolution and a system has been implemented where you can make a personalized simulation of meteorological phenomena such as clouds, rain and lightning. The 3D system will be ready in a second phase of the renovation, which will already be in service in the summer.

On the other hand, the seating area has been remodeled, increasing its capacity by 26%, and it has been made accessible for people with reduced mobility. The lighting, audio and computer systems have also been renewed.

The Ull de Montsec is the only planetarium in the world that allows you to open its dome and leave the visitor under the real sky. And when the second phase of the performance ends, it will be one of the few planetariums in the world that will allow you to combine interactivity with spectators and 3D projection.

News of the season

In addition to the renovated space, the Astronomical is premiering three new screenings in the planetarium this season:

1. Voyager: Film that tells the exciting chronicle of the most remarkable space mission in human history.
2. CAPCOM GO!: Projection showing the first steps on the Moon and the great effort involved in getting there.
3. 3-2-1 Lift Off: Plot of a scientific hamster who finds in his garden a crater and a damaged robot that fell from a spaceship preparing Mars for colonization.

This season users will also be able to visit all the robots, probes and space stations that are spread across the firmament: see the space that astronauts have on the International Space Station (ISS), the environment where Perseverance works on the surface of Mars, or the trajectory of the Voyagers moving away from the Solar System.

At the same time, during 2023, the Festival of Astronomy, which will take place from 12 to 15 October, remains on schedule. This festival, which is celebrated annually and this year is in its 9th edition, has a wide range of scientific dissemination, cultural and leisure activities aimed at family audiences with the aim of bringing science closer to society and promote knowledge of Montsec as an astrotourism destination. In addition, the cycle “Music under the Stars” is also returning. This 13th edition will take place from July to December. It is a unique experience that combines a night astronomy session with a concert in the planetarium space.

New signage and chargers for electric vehicles

Another of the new features is the signage, which has been adapted both outside and inside the Park following the image standards used by FGC Turisme’s mountain stations but with a new graphic resource for give it personality In this sense, the signage at the access points to the site, the building (interior and exterior) and also the guidance to the exhibition hall has been strengthened.

In addition, the Montsec Astronomical Park has also installed six chargers for electric vehicles: two fast chargers and four semi-fast chargers. In this way, it contributes to the sustainability of the environment of the Serra del Montsec Protected Natural Area.

The Astronomical, an international reference

In 2020, the PAM was awarded the Starlight International Awards in the category of Education and Dissemination of Astronomy and the Dark Sky. An award that joins the Dark Sky Platinum ambassador category of the International Astronomical Union, which he received in 2019. Additionally, the Montsec mountain range is the second place in the world to receive the double certification of Starlight Tourist Destination and Reserve in 2013, which has the endorsement of UNESCO.

The Astronomer continues to work on the dissemination of astronomy and develops and reinforces its dissemination and research activity and its commitment to the protection of the sky against light pollution.