Howrah Planetarium and Astronomical Research Centre

**Howrah Planetarium and Astronomical Research Centre**
হাওড়া তারামণ্ডল ও জ্যোতির্বিজ্ঞান গবেষণা কেন্দ্র
Established	2 December 2022;21 months ago
Location	Sarat Sadan, Howrah, West Bengal, India.
Coordinates	22°34′56″N88°19′53″E / 22.5822313°N 88.331262°E
Type	Planetarium museum
Owner	Howrah Municipal Corporation
Public transit access	Howrah railway station, Howrah Maidan metro station (under construction)

Last updated September 22, 2024

Howrah Planetarium and Astronomical Research Centre commonly known as Howrah Planetarium is a planetarium in Howrah, West Bengal,^[1] that offers virtual tours of the night sky and cosmic shows in a specially perforated hemispherical dome.^[2] It is West Bengal's first 3D planetarium.^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6] This '4K' Planetarium is built on screening technology. A total of Rs 14 crores was spent on the construction of the planetarium or Taramandal.^[7] The planetarium conducts three shows every afternoon in Bengali, English and Hindi.

History

Background

Howrah and Kolkata are twin cities. The Hooghly River (a tributary of the Ganges) flows between the two cities, and the two cities are separated from each other by this river course with an average width of 500 meters. But despite the proximity of the two cities, while Kolkata has multiple entertainment options, Howrah is almost deprived. Howrah city does not have any state-of-the-art government theater except Sharat Sadan in Howrah Maidan area and Rabindra Bhavan in Bally, built during the Left regime. They were also dilapidated due to lack of maintenance. After the Trinamool Congress came to power in Howrah municipality in 2015, then mayor Rathin Chakraborty took up the plan to renovate Sarat Sadan. On the other hand, after the merger of Bally Municipality with Howrah, the Municipal Authority also started the renovation of the Rabindra Bhavan.^[8]

In 2015, Along with the renovation of Sarat Sadan, a plan was taken up to build another Planetarium technologically superior to the Birla Planetarium in Kolkata.^[8]

Construction

The construction of "Howrah Planetarium and Astronomical Research Centre" was started in 2015 at a cost of Rs 14 crore with some land at Sarat Sadan theater premises.^[8]

Financial crisis and delay

A decision was taken to install a projection device from a specialist firm in France at the Planetarium. But, problems arose in this work, for which the work of planetarium was stopped for a long time. The problem was mainly the financial cost of setting up the instrument and the Term of contract with that company to maintain the planetarium.^[8]

Even after 10 months of completion of the work, the Howrah Municipal Corporation failed to pay the contractor. The company's receivable amounts from the Howrah Municipal Corporation were more than Rs.3.50 crores.^[8] As a result, the inauguration of planetarium was delayed.^[8] planetarium was inaugurated in October 2022, but due to technical problems it could not be opened for visitors.^[9]

Inauguration

The Howrah Planetarium and Astronomical Research Centre was officially inaugurated in October 2022 by the Minister of Public Works and Urban Development, Firhad Hakim.^[3] It opened to public on 2 December 2022.

Description

The planetarium is built on Sarat Sadan, Howrah, West Bengal.^[1] The dome of the planetarium is 10 meters in diameter^[1] and the seating capacity 96 people. The structure was built in collaboration with the Howrah Municipal Corporation and a French company, and the planetarium displays night sky views for visitors through 3D projectors.^[6]

Features

A total of 3 shows are conducted a day in this planetarium to introduce visitors to the solar system. Visitors can also learn about important space discoveries and related information. Each show at planetarium is conducted for 25 minutes. Shows are available here in Bengali, English and Hindi.^[3]

Related Research Articles

Howrah is an important city of Kolkata Metropolis in the Indian state of West Bengal. Howrah is located on the western bank of the Hooghly River, opposite its twin city of Kolkata. Administratively Howrah city lies within Howrah district and is the headquarters of the Howrah Sadar subdivision. Howrah city also falls under Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority. Howrah station is an famous transportation hub and also a gateway to Kolkata’s oldest CBD viia Kolkata Metro Rail’s Green line and Howrah Bridge. Howrah Rail Junction is the largest railway station of India and it is extensively connected to every part of India.

Bardhaman, officially Bardhaman Sadar, is a city and municipality in the state of West Bengal, India. It is the headquarters of Purba Bardhaman district, having become a district capital during the period of British rule. Burdwan, an alternative name for the city, has remained in use since then.

Ballygunge is a locality of South Kolkata in Kolkata district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is one of the city's most affluent neighbourhoods.

Rabindra Sadan is a cultural centre and theatre complex in Kolkata, India. It is located on Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Road in South Kolkata. It is noted for its large stage which is a prime venue for Bengali theatre and Kolkata Film Festival.

Maidan is a large urban area containing vast urban green space, parks, playgrounds and several public venues in the center of Kolkata, India. The area is spread over a total area of 1283 Acres. The urban green space of Maidan, which compromises an area of around 400 acres, is the largest urban park and urban green space in Kolkata city and second largest in the Kolkata metropolitan area as well as in India. Prior to 2013, before the creation of Eco Park it was the largest urban park in India. Its vast stretch of field that includes numerous sporting grounds, including the famous cricketing venue Eden Gardens, several football stadiums and the Kolkata Race Course.

Bidhannagar, also known as Salt Lake City is a satellite city of Kolkata in North 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA). The population within city limits was 2,18,323 at the 2011 census, it has increased since 2001 census. After a successful extension of the city limits in June 2015, Bidhannagar's population increased to 6.7 lakhs residents. It is now the fourth-most populous city in West Bengal, after Kolkata, Howrah and Asansol.

Makardah is a census town in Domjur CD Block of Howrah Sadar subdivision in Howrah district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is a part of Kolkata Urban Agglomeration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santragachhi</span> Neighbourhood in Howrah, West Bengal, India

Santragachi is a residential neighbourhood in Howrah, Howrah district, West Bengal, India. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA). Santragachi Junction in Santragachi is one of the five intercity railway junctions of Howrah-Kolkata, which serves as a railway junction-cum-terminus for the South Eastern Railway. Kona Expressway in Santragachi is one of the major and fastest roads to enter Kolkata.

Liluah is a neighbourhood in Howrah city of Howrah district, West Bengal, India. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA). Liluah has a railway junction, which is the first station after Howrah station under the Eastern Railway (India). Its history dates back to the British era when the Liluah Carriage and wagon Workshop was set up to release pressure off Howrah.

B. M. Birla Planetarium is a large planetarium in Chennai, India. The fifth B. M. Birla planetarium in the country, it is located at Kotturpuram in the Periyar Science and Technology Centre campus which houses eight galleries, namely, Physical Science, Electronics and Communication, Energy, Life Science, Innovation, Transport, International Dolls and Children and Materials Science, with over 500 exhibits. Built in 1988 in the memory of the great industrialist and visionary of India B. M. Birla, it is considered the most modern planetarium in India, providing a virtual tour of the night sky and holding cosmic shows on a specially perforated hemispherical aluminium inner dome. Other Birla planetariums in India include the M. P. Birla Planetarium in Kolkata, the Birla Planetarium in Hyderabad, and the planetariums in Tiruchirapalli and Coimbatore.

The Birla Planetarium in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, is a single-storeyed circular structure designed in the typical Indian style, whose architecture is loosely styled on the Buddhist Stupa at Sanchi. Situated at Chowringhee Road adjacent to the Victoria Memorial, St. Paul's Cathedral and the Maidan in Central Kolkata, it is the largest planetarium in Asia and the second largest planetarium in the world. There are two other Birla Planetariums in India: B.M. Birla Planetarium in Chennai and the Birla Planetarium in Hyderabad.

Bally Municipality is the body responsible for the civic infrastructure and administration of the town of Bally, West Bengal, India. Bally is a Municipality city in district of Howrah, West Bengal. The Bally city is divided into 35 wards for which elections are held every 5 years. Bally is the northern suburb of the city of Howrah. Bally Municipality was initially formed by separating it from Howrah Municipality in 1883. As of 2015 Bally Municipality had been re-merged with Howrah Municipal Corporation (HMC). Bally Municipality was again separated from HMC on 12 November 2021.

Howrah Maidan Metro Station is a station of the Kolkata Metro Line 2 in Howrah Maidan, Howrah, India. The underground station is located near the Howrah Municipal Corporation Stadium and the Howrah Sarat Sadan. It is the terminus of Line 2 of the Kolkata Metro. The station was completed and inaugurated on 6th March 2024. Though being similar to any Line 1 underground station, it is made with world class amenities and patronage to football, the main sport of the state.

Biswa Bangla Gate is an arch-monument in the city of New Town, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. It is built by Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO) on the Biswa Bangla Sarani at Narkelbagan, Action Area - I of New Town, Kolkata metropolitan area. It also houses a restaurant. The visitors' gallery and restaurant are surrounded by glass, which will be part of the wall. From here, one can see various parts of New Town.

Jagati railway station is a railway station in Kushtia, Bangladesh. It was one of the first railway station in present-day Bangladesh.

Kona Expressway is a 4 lane 14.17-kilometre-long (8.80 mi) grade-separated, tolled expressway in the suburban fringes of Kolkata, West Bengal. It is one of the most important entries to Kolkata. As of November 2022, the road carries more 70,000 vehicles per day. The road links National Highway 16 (India) near Kona, Nibra to Vidyasagar Setu, which leads to Kolkata. The expressway is part of NH 12.

The 22301/22302 Howrah–New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express is India's 7th Vande Bharat Express train, connecting the capital of West Bengal, Kolkata with Siliguri, the largest city in northern West Bengal via Shantiniketan, Malda Town.

References

1 2 3 Kinsuk Basu (2 December 2022). "Howrah gets its own planetarium". www.telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
↑ "Howrah Planetarium & Astronomical Research Centre". fddb.org. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
1 2 3 "দেশের প্রথম থ্রি-ডি তারামণ্ডলের দরজা খুলল হাওড়ায়, ১৪ কোটির প্রেক্ষাগৃহে টিকিটের দাম কত?". www.anandabazar.com. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
↑ "Howrah gets country's 1st 3D planetarium". The Times of India. 2 December 2022. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
↑ "India's 1st 3D planetarium inaugurated in Howrah". millenniumpost. 3 December 2022. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
1 2 "First 3D Planetarium of India coming up in Howrah this December". getbengal.com. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
↑ "আজ খুলছে হাওড়ার থ্রি ডি তারামণ্ডল" (in Bengali). www.bartamanpatrika.com. 2 December 2022. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
1 2 3 4 5 6 "'গ্রহের ফের', মহাকাশ দেখার সাধ অপূর্ণই" (in Bengali). www.anandabazar.com. Anandabazar. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
↑ "হাওড়ায় দেশের প্রথম থ্রি-ডি তারামণ্ডল, মহাকাশ চেনাবে ডিসেম্বরের প্রথম সপ্তাহ থেকেই" (in Bengali). www.anandabazar.com. Anandabazar. 25 November 2022. Retrieved 16 December 2022.

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[telegraphindia-1] 1 2 3 Kinsuk Basu (2 December 2022). "Howrah gets its own planetarium". www.telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 16 December 2022.

[fddb-2] "Howrah Planetarium & Astronomical Research Centre". fddb.org. Retrieved 15 December 2022.

[anandabazar-3] 1 2 3 "দেশের প্রথম থ্রি-ডি তারামণ্ডলের দরজা খুলল হাওড়ায়, ১৪ কোটির প্রেক্ষাগৃহে টিকিটের দাম কত?". www.anandabazar.com. Retrieved 15 December 2022.

[indiatimes-4] "Howrah gets country's 1st 3D planetarium". The Times of India. 2 December 2022. Retrieved 15 December 2022.

[millenniumpost-5] "India's 1st 3D planetarium inaugurated in Howrah". millenniumpost. 3 December 2022. Retrieved 15 December 2022.

[getbengal-6] 1 2 "First 3D Planetarium of India coming up in Howrah this December". getbengal.com. Retrieved 15 December 2022.

[bartamanpatrika-7] "আজ খুলছে হাওড়ার থ্রি ডি তারামণ্ডল" (in Bengali). www.bartamanpatrika.com. 2 December 2022. Retrieved 16 December 2022.

[Anandabazar-8] 1 2 3 4 5 6 "'গ্রহের ফের', মহাকাশ দেখার সাধ অপূর্ণই" (in Bengali). www.anandabazar.com. Anandabazar. Retrieved 16 December 2022.

[Anandabazar1-9] "হাওড়ায় দেশের প্রথম থ্রি-ডি তারামণ্ডল, মহাকাশ চেনাবে ডিসেম্বরের প্রথম সপ্তাহ থেকেই" (in Bengali). www.anandabazar.com. Anandabazar. 25 November 2022. Retrieved 16 December 2022.

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