|
UCR Unveils Planetarium
Friday, the Universidad de Costa
Rica (UCR) will inaugurate the
Planetario Ciudad de San José, a
centre of study of astronomy,
astrophysics and space science.
The 500 square metre building
was possible by a donation of
some 50 million yen (us$500.000)
by the government of Japan and
¢200 million colones
(us$415.000) by the UCR.
The planetarium will give
foreigners as well as nationals
a chance to know the secrets of
precolumbian astronomy and
especially astronomy in
Mesoamerica.
Mesoamerica is the region
extending from central Mexico
south to the northwestern border
of Costa Rica that gave rise to
a group of stratified,
culturally related agrarian
civilizations spanning an
approximately 3,000-year period
before the European discovery of
the New World by Columbus.
Mesoamerican is the adjective
generally used to refer to that
group of Pre-Columbian cultures.
The building is located on the
UCR campus in the Ciudad de la
Investigación, between then new
Facultad de Ingeniería and the
Centro de Investigaciones
Geofísicas, which will a domed
theatre.
Dr. Jorge Páez, director of the
Centro de Investigaciones
Espaciales (Cinespa) of the UCR
says this is a great opportunity
for children and youth to
explore their interest in
science and astronomy, as well
as promote tourism and
recreational activities for the
whole family.
|
|
