Urânia Fulldome, a Brazilian company in educational technology, is transforming the way students across the country learn about astronomy through its project, “O planetário móvel vai às escolas” (The planetarium goes to schools).
The initiative brings immersive, 360-degree educational films directly to schools in different states across Brazil, using mobile domes equipped with Christie Inspire Series 1DLP laser projectors.
The 13 mobile inflatable domes, which measure 7 metres (23 feet) in diameter and 3.8 metres (12.5 feet) in height, are travelling Brazil in dedicated trucks, visiting different schools across the country. The goal is to foster the school community’s interest in astronomy and related sciences.
Each portable planetarium is equipped with a single 8,500 lumens 4K UHD Christie 4K860-iS projector and provides a fully immersive visual experience for up to 60 students seated on tatamis on the floor. With multiple sessions throughout the day, each dome has the capacity to serve up to 600 students daily. The domes’ synthetic fabric construction, tailored specifically for Urânia, allows for quick and easy setup, with the entire structure inflating in minutes.
Since the project's launch, 1 million students have had the opportunity to experience the wonder of the cosmos through these Full HD and 4K films, making complex astronomical concepts accessible and engaging for young minds.
Beyond its school outreach programme, Urânia Fulldome also contributed to the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA), held in Rio de Janeiro state in August 2024.