The planetarium was given on loan to the ULS by CONICYT and will allow various activities aimed at schools, university students, community centers and the general public.

Children, young people and adults will be able to learn more about science and astronomy thanks to the cycle of activities of the mobile planetarium of the University of La Serena, which will take place over the next few months in different places in the Coquimbo Region.

The planetarium was given on loan to the University by CONICYT and will allow the development of various activities aimed at schools, university students, community centers and the general public, in which important astronomical events will be taught, such as the total solar eclipse of the next July 2, in addition to generating interest in astronomical research.

The person in charge of the mobile planetarium project and academic of the Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Dr. Marcelo Jaque, sees having this instrument as a great opportunity, since it will be able to bring the work of the university closer to the community. “We will be able to raise awareness in the community of the important work that the University does in astronomical research, promoting the study of this science to new generations,” he said.

The presentation of this cycle of activities took place in a ceremony attended by the Rector, Dr. Nibaldo Avilés, authorities, directors and academics of the institution, and which was part of the celebration of the 38th anniversary of the ULS.

Rector Avilés stated that “for several years, the institution has promoted development in its area of ​​astronomy. In addition, science programs have been strengthened, and the level of research has also been increasing. That is why today we are inaugurating a planetarium of a CONICYT project, which reflects the results we are obtaining in this area.”

For his part, the Director of the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Dr. Luis Palma Chilla, expressed that “we have a responsibility to the community, we are a state university and our Department responds to that. Having a planetarium of this type is a pole within the University to link us strongly with the environment.”

The mobile planetarium will be in the University facilities for eight months, which will provide tools and information to the entire community that comes to live the astronomical experience on a larger scale.

Written by Tomás Rodríguez, Department of Communications, and Karina Damke, Rectory