Bhushana at 06:50, 21 October 2025

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{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox museum
|name = '''Howrah Planetarium and Astronomical Research Centre'''
| native_name = '''হাওড়া তারামণ্ডল ও জ্যোতির্বিজ্ঞান গবেষণা কেন্দ্র'''
| native_name_lang = bn
|image = Howrah Planetarium & Astronomical Research Centre - Howrah 2023-05-25 7260.jpg
|image_upright =
|caption =
|map_type =
|map_caption =
|coordinates = {{coord|22.5822313|88.331262|display=inline}}
|established = {{start date and age|2022|12|02|df=y}}
|dissolved =
|location = Sarat Sadan, [[Howrah]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]]
|type = Planetarium museum
|visitors =
|director =
|curator =
| owner = [[Howrah Municipal Corporation]]
|publictransit = [[Howrah railway station]],
{{Bulleted list|{{ric|Kolkata Metro|green}} '''[[Howrah Maidan metro station]]'''}}
|website =
}}
'''Howrah Planetarium and Astronomical Research Centre''' commonly known as '''Howrah Planetarium''' is a [[planetarium]] in [[Howrah]], [[West Bengal]],<ref name="telegraphindia"/> that offers [[virtual tour]]s of the night sky and cosmic shows in a specially perforated hemispherical dome.<ref name="fddb">{{cite web |title=Howrah Planetarium & Astronomical Research Centre |url=https://www.fddb.org/domes/howrah-planetarium-astronomical-research-centre/ |website=fddb.org |access-date=15 December 2022}}</ref> It is West Bengal's first 3D planetarium.<ref name="anandabazar"/><ref name="indiatimes">{{cite news |title=Howrah gets country's 1st 3D planetarium |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/howrah-gets-countrys-1st-3d-planetarium/articleshow/95927229.cms |website=The Times of India |date=2 December 2022 |access-date=15 December 2022}}</ref><ref name="millenniumpost">{{cite news |title=India's 1st 3D planetarium inaugurated in Howrah |url=
https://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/indias-1st-3d-planetarium-inaugurated-in-howrah-500980 |access-date=15 December 2022 |website=millenniumpost |date=3 December 2022}}</ref><ref name="getbengal">{{cite web |title=First 3D Planetarium of India coming up in Howrah this December |url=https://www.getbengal.com/details/first-3d-planetarium-of-india-coming-up-in-howrah-this-december |website=getbengal.com |access-date=15 December 2022}}</ref> This '[[4K resolution|4K]]' Planetarium is built on screening technology. A total of Rs 14 crores was spent on the construction of the planetarium or ''Taramandal''.<ref name="bartamanpatrika">{{cite news |title=আজ খুলছে হাওড়ার থ্রি ডি তারামণ্ডল |url=https://bartamanpatrika.com/detailNews.php?cID=12&nID=417680&P=1 |access-date=16 December 2022 |publisher=www.bartamanpatrika.com |date=2 December 2022 |language=bn}}</ref> The planetarium conducts three shows every afternoon in [[Bengali language|Bengali]], [[English language|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|Howrah Maidan]] area and Rabindra Bhavan in [[Bally, Howrah|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 [[Howrah Municipal Corporation|Municipal Authority]] also started the renovation of the Rabindra Bhavan.<ref name="Anandabazar">{{cite news |title='গ্রহের ফের', মহাকাশ দেখার সাধ অপূর্ণই |url=https://www.anandabazar.com/west-bengal/kolkata/howrah-planetarium-will-not-be-opened-in-this-winter-1.1093349 |access-date=16 December 2022 |agency=Anandabazar |publisher=www.anandabazar.com |language=bn}}</ref>

In 2015, Along with the renovation of Sarat Sadan, a plan was taken up to build another Planetarium technologically superior to the [[Birla Planetarium, Kolkata|Birla Planetarium]] in Kolkata.<ref name="Anandabazar"/>

=== 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.<ref name="Anandabazar"/>

=== 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.<ref name="Anandabazar"/>

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.<ref name="Anandabazar"/> As a result, the inauguration of planetarium was delayed.<ref name="Anandabazar"/> planetarium was inaugurated in October 2022, but due to technical problems it could not be opened for visitors.<ref name="Anandabazar1">{{cite news |title=হাওড়ায় দেশের প্রথম থ্রি-ডি তারামণ্ডল, মহাকাশ চেনাবে ডিসেম্বরের প্রথম সপ্তাহ থেকেই |url=https://www.anandabazar.com/west-bengal/howrah-hooghly/planetarium-is-ready-for-audience-in-howrah-dgtld/cid/1387056 |access-date=16 December 2022 |agency=Anandabazar |publisher=www.anandabazar.com |date=25 November 2022 |language=bn}}</ref>

=== 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]].<ref name="anandabazar"/> It opened to public on 2 December 2022.

== Description ==
The planetarium is built on Sarat Sadan, [[Howrah]], [[West Bengal]].<ref name="telegraphindia"/> The dome of the planetarium is 10 meters in diameter<ref name="telegraphindia">{{cite news |author1=Kinsuk Basu |title=Howrah gets its own planetarium |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/my-kolkata/news/howrah-gets-its-own-planetarium/cid/1900476 |access-date=16 December 2022 |publisher=www.telegraphindia.com |date=2 December 2022 |language=en}}</ref> 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.<ref name="getbengal" />

== 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 language|Bengali]], [[English language|English]] and [[Hindi]].<ref name="anandabazar">{{cite web |title=দেশের প্রথম থ্রি-ডি তারামণ্ডলের দরজা খুলল হাওড়ায়, ১৪ কোটির প্রেক্ষাগৃহে টিকিটের দাম কত? |url=https://www.anandabazar.com/photogallery/howrah-opens-first-3d-planetarium-in-the-country-dgtld-photogallery/cid/1388735?slide=13 |website=www.anandabazar.com |access-date=15 December 2022}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Birla Planetarium, Kolkata]]
* [[Indian Astronomical Observatory#Astrotourism|Astrotourism in India]]
* [[List of planetariums]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Planetaria in India]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Howrah]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Howrah]]
[[Category:Education in Howrah]]

Howrah Planetarium and Astronomical Research Centre - Revision history

Bhushana at 06:50, 21 October 2025