Planetarium - Smolyan

Overview

On September 6, 1975. in Smolyan opens the largest Planetarium with a national astronomical observatory in Bulgaria. Smolyan is a tourist center in the Western Rhodopes and lies 800 meters above sea level, near the famous winter resort of Pamporovo. The planetarium is one of the most visited landmarks in the mountain town. For the past 42 years it has been visited by over 2,800,000 people. To promote astronomical knowledge, more than 50 programs (sessions) are presented in the star hall of the Planetarium. Among them are: fairy tale programs for the youngest children, many learning sessions, overview and thematic for the general audience. Foreign guests of the Planetarium are offered programs in foreign languages: Russian, French, German, English, Greek, Turkish. A series of special programs - musical and poetic - complement the variety of star performances. The planetarium works with students from all forms of the Bulgarian school, as well as with preschool children. The Planetarium has developed many curricula related to the material studied in school in astronomy, physics, geography. In addition, groups of students of all ages with an increased interest in astronomy work at the Planetarium all year round. They are organized in the Youth Astronomical Club (MAC). Every summer, observation camps-schools are held for the members of the IAC: in the Planetarium - for primary and secondary school and on the territory of the National Astronomical Observatory - for high school students. The Youth Astronomical Club observes visually and photographically astronomical phenomena such as: lunar and solar eclipses, compounds, passages, meteors, solar activity. The planetarium also works with students of physics and geography, as well as teachers of physics and astronomy from the region. Many methodological materials have been developed for them and practical seminars are organized.