Planetariums in Brazil modernized

Two planetariums in the Brazilian state of Ceará were technically upgraded by ZEISS at the end of last year. The "Rubens de Azevedo" planetarium is located in Fortaleza, named after a significant promoter of astronomy in Ceará and other Brazilian states. Opened in 1999, a ZEISS SKYMASTER ZKP 3 projector was initially used for astronomy education. It was replaced by the more modern ZKP 4 projector in 2010. At the same time, the first digital fulldome system was installed in the 10.5-m dome. Both components could now be exchanged for the latest technology from ZEISS. The new SKYMASTER ZKP 4 LED star projector produces a brilliant night sky that is almost on a par with the natural one. The new digital system consists of two VELVET LED projectors from ZEISS, which – with their high contrast – have been specially developed for displays in planetariums. The planetarium is part of the Centro Dragão do Mar de Arte e Cultura - a cultural complex in Fortaleza that also houses museums, theaters, cinemas, auditoriums, amphitheaters, exhibition spaces and cultural workshops.

The second planetarium in northern Ceará, in the city of Sobral, also received a ZEISS SKYMASTER ZKP 4 LED planetarium projector and a new fulldome system with two Barco projectors in November 2022. The planetarium, which has the same size as the one in Fortaleza, is located at the historic site of the 1919 solar eclipse observation that provided evidence for the correctness of Einstein's theory of general relativity. The planetarium was forced to close after a fire in 2019. With the installation of new technology, it is once again one of the most modern planetariums in Brazil.