May 7th International Planetarium Day｜There is a starry sky hidden in the "Earth" of Shanghai Planetarium!
Posted: Thu May 07, 2026 8:12 am
Source: Zeiss Optics
In order to welcome the International Planetarium Day in 2026, the Planetarium Professional Committee of the China Society of Natural Science Museum and the Popularization Working Committee of the Chinese Astronomical Society jointly launched the national joint action "Together to Starry Nights and Dreams in the Sky". Many planetariums, science and technology museums, observatories, universities and science popularization institutions across the country will simultaneously launch exciting activities - from expert lectures to starry sky observation, from astronomical programs to interactive experiences, no matter which city you are in, you can find your own starry sky.
Among the many venues, Shanghai Planetarium is one of the most worthy destinations for you to visit. In particular, the Earth in the "Home" exhibition area, which plays the 4.6 billion-year evolution of the Earth in a loop, is the core of the planetarium - the optical astronomical hall with an inner diameter of 18 meters.
Optical Astronomy Hall (inside the Earth on the right) Photo by Gao Junwen
Entering the optical planetarium hall, the gradient color carpet under your feet simulates an undulating lawn; the surrounding trees are dotted with landscaping, making you feel like you are in nature. Of course, the most comfortable thing is the beanbag! Lying down, it's like being gently caught by nature.
Early optical planetariums relied on precision machinery to simulate the motion of celestial bodies, while modern planetariums mostly use optical + digital hybrid systems to bring a shocking starry sky experience.
●Optical part: retain the sharpness and realism of the stars of the optical planetarium, as well as the contrast that is difficult to match with digital projectors.
●Digital part: Use high-definition projectors to present dynamic images such as planetary surface details, deep-sky celestial bodies, and celestial body motion trajectories.
Since its opening in July 2021, the Shanghai Planetarium’s Optical and Astronomical Hall has demonstrated more than 14,000 starry sky programs and received nearly 1 million viewers!
In July 2023, the "Looking at the Starry Sky" real-time starry sky explanation activity will be launched, which will not only help you "see" the stars, but also teach you to "understand" the stars: How do the stars flow through the four seasons? How to tell the direction by the stars? What are the mythical stories behind bright stars?
Guide to Sunday’s “Looking at the Starry Sky” activities
Place:
Optical Astronomy Hall (Homeland Exhibition Area)
time:
Every Sunday, a total of 7 games throughout the day (subject to the reservation system on the day)
Quota:
80 people/site (must be fast!)
How to participate:
After checking in and entering the museum, make a reservation on the "Shanghai Planetarium" WeChat official account
Tips:
Fill in the personnel information in the reservation system in advance
Introduction to daily programs of the Optical Astronomy Hall
"Starry Sky Picture Scroll"
Ancient Chinese astronomers divided the area around the North Celestial Pole into three walls (Ziwei Yuan, Taiwei Yuan, and Tianshi Yuan), with four signs and twenty-eight constellations distributed along the ecliptic. Under the dome, a long scroll of starry sky belonging to Eastern wisdom unfolded.
Astronomy program "Starry Sky Picture Scroll" photographed by Gao Junwen
How bright a star can you see?
In order to describe the brightness of celestial bodies, the ancient Greek astronomer Hipparchus first proposed the concept of magnitude in the second century BC. In 1856, British astronomer Norman Pogson quantitatively discovered that the smaller the magnitude value, the higher the brightness. The 6.55-magnitude stars projected by the Shanghai Planetarium are only 1/250 of the brightness of first-magnitude stars - so in theory, the starry sky you see in the Optical Planetarium is more than 100 times brighter than the real night sky in the urban area!
Are red stars "hotter"?
Quite the opposite! Red stars have lower temperatures, while blue stars are "hotter". Behind this lies Wien's shift law: the higher the temperature, the shorter the peak wavelength of radiation, and the color shifts from red light to blue light. The surface temperature of red giant stars that are on the verge of burning out and expanding is only 2000-3000K, so they appear red; while stars like Sirius have a surface temperature of about 9940K and appear blue-white.
The Shanghai Planetarium's optical planetarium can restore the colors of more than 300 stars, making the "temperature" of the universe visible to the naked eye.
Sirius (surface temperature is about 9940K≈9667℃, bluish-white in color) Photo by Gao Junwen
More than just looking: a multi-dimensional starry sky experience
"Encountering the Starry Sky" event image source: Shanghai Planetarium
See you under the stars
No matter how busy life is, don’t forget to look up at the stars. Make an appointment for a "Looking at the Starry Sky" lecture every Sunday, lie down on the lazy sofa, and let the romance of the starry sky quietly heal your fatigue.
References:
International Planetarium Society (IPS): https://www.ips-planetarium.org
Goto Optical (GOTO): https://www.goto.co.jp/planetarium/orpheus/
StarWalk: https://starwalk.space/zh-Hans/news/the ... anetariums
Shanghai Planetarium WeChat public account: Lu Qi "From Mechanical Optics to Digital: 100th Anniversary of the Invention of the Planetarium"
Authors: Gao Junwen, Wang Yuhan, Gu Yi, Xiao Lei (Shanghai Planetarium Exhibition and Education Center)
Scientific review: Lin Qing (Astronomy Research Center of Shanghai Science and Technology Museum)
Editor: Mumu
Image source: marked in the text
WeChat public account | Shanghai Planetarium
Little Red Book
Shanghai Planetarium
Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/cRqokef3trntaqPEqyubAQ
In order to welcome the International Planetarium Day in 2026, the Planetarium Professional Committee of the China Society of Natural Science Museum and the Popularization Working Committee of the Chinese Astronomical Society jointly launched the national joint action "Together to Starry Nights and Dreams in the Sky". Many planetariums, science and technology museums, observatories, universities and science popularization institutions across the country will simultaneously launch exciting activities - from expert lectures to starry sky observation, from astronomical programs to interactive experiences, no matter which city you are in, you can find your own starry sky.
Among the many venues, Shanghai Planetarium is one of the most worthy destinations for you to visit. In particular, the Earth in the "Home" exhibition area, which plays the 4.6 billion-year evolution of the Earth in a loop, is the core of the planetarium - the optical astronomical hall with an inner diameter of 18 meters.
Optical Astronomy Hall (inside the Earth on the right) Photo by Gao Junwen
Entering the optical planetarium hall, the gradient color carpet under your feet simulates an undulating lawn; the surrounding trees are dotted with landscaping, making you feel like you are in nature. Of course, the most comfortable thing is the beanbag! Lying down, it's like being gently caught by nature.
Early optical planetariums relied on precision machinery to simulate the motion of celestial bodies, while modern planetariums mostly use optical + digital hybrid systems to bring a shocking starry sky experience.
●Optical part: retain the sharpness and realism of the stars of the optical planetarium, as well as the contrast that is difficult to match with digital projectors.
●Digital part: Use high-definition projectors to present dynamic images such as planetary surface details, deep-sky celestial bodies, and celestial body motion trajectories.
Since its opening in July 2021, the Shanghai Planetarium’s Optical and Astronomical Hall has demonstrated more than 14,000 starry sky programs and received nearly 1 million viewers!
In July 2023, the "Looking at the Starry Sky" real-time starry sky explanation activity will be launched, which will not only help you "see" the stars, but also teach you to "understand" the stars: How do the stars flow through the four seasons? How to tell the direction by the stars? What are the mythical stories behind bright stars?
Guide to Sunday’s “Looking at the Starry Sky” activities
Place:
Optical Astronomy Hall (Homeland Exhibition Area)
time:
Every Sunday, a total of 7 games throughout the day (subject to the reservation system on the day)
Quota:
80 people/site (must be fast!)
How to participate:
After checking in and entering the museum, make a reservation on the "Shanghai Planetarium" WeChat official account
Tips:
Fill in the personnel information in the reservation system in advance
Introduction to daily programs of the Optical Astronomy Hall
"Starry Sky Picture Scroll"
Ancient Chinese astronomers divided the area around the North Celestial Pole into three walls (Ziwei Yuan, Taiwei Yuan, and Tianshi Yuan), with four signs and twenty-eight constellations distributed along the ecliptic. Under the dome, a long scroll of starry sky belonging to Eastern wisdom unfolded.
Astronomy program "Starry Sky Picture Scroll" photographed by Gao Junwen
How bright a star can you see?
In order to describe the brightness of celestial bodies, the ancient Greek astronomer Hipparchus first proposed the concept of magnitude in the second century BC. In 1856, British astronomer Norman Pogson quantitatively discovered that the smaller the magnitude value, the higher the brightness. The 6.55-magnitude stars projected by the Shanghai Planetarium are only 1/250 of the brightness of first-magnitude stars - so in theory, the starry sky you see in the Optical Planetarium is more than 100 times brighter than the real night sky in the urban area!
Are red stars "hotter"?
Quite the opposite! Red stars have lower temperatures, while blue stars are "hotter". Behind this lies Wien's shift law: the higher the temperature, the shorter the peak wavelength of radiation, and the color shifts from red light to blue light. The surface temperature of red giant stars that are on the verge of burning out and expanding is only 2000-3000K, so they appear red; while stars like Sirius have a surface temperature of about 9940K and appear blue-white.
The Shanghai Planetarium's optical planetarium can restore the colors of more than 300 stars, making the "temperature" of the universe visible to the naked eye.
Sirius (surface temperature is about 9940K≈9667℃, bluish-white in color) Photo by Gao Junwen
More than just looking: a multi-dimensional starry sky experience
"Encountering the Starry Sky" event image source: Shanghai Planetarium
See you under the stars
No matter how busy life is, don’t forget to look up at the stars. Make an appointment for a "Looking at the Starry Sky" lecture every Sunday, lie down on the lazy sofa, and let the romance of the starry sky quietly heal your fatigue.
References:
International Planetarium Society (IPS): https://www.ips-planetarium.org
Goto Optical (GOTO): https://www.goto.co.jp/planetarium/orpheus/
StarWalk: https://starwalk.space/zh-Hans/news/the ... anetariums
Shanghai Planetarium WeChat public account: Lu Qi "From Mechanical Optics to Digital: 100th Anniversary of the Invention of the Planetarium"
Authors: Gao Junwen, Wang Yuhan, Gu Yi, Xiao Lei (Shanghai Planetarium Exhibition and Education Center)
Scientific review: Lin Qing (Astronomy Research Center of Shanghai Science and Technology Museum)
Editor: Mumu
Image source: marked in the text
WeChat public account | Shanghai Planetarium
Little Red Book
Shanghai PlanetariumSource: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/cRqokef3trntaqPEqyubAQ