Nirmala Sitharaman: COSMOS Planetarium to boost astronomy education, research and tourism

MYSURU Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said Karnataka, a leader in IT, biotechnology, aerospace and space technology, was well-positioned to benefit from emerging opportunities in the space sector, and described the COSMOS Mysuru LED Dome Planetarium as an important facility to promote astronomy education, research and tourism. In her welcome address at the inauguration of the planetarium at the foothills of Chamundi Hill, she said the facility would make astronomical observations accessible to students and researchers, offering opportunities for immersive learning and deeper study of astronomy.

Observations from the observatories at Ladakh and Kodaikanal could be accessed at the Mysuru planetarium so that students gain a better understanding of astronomical phenomena, she said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier inaugurated the planetarium and toured the facility.

Besides providing access to actual astronomical observations, the facility would also give a boost to the tourism economy.