Urânia’s mobile planetariums bring astronomy to students

Photo credit: Urania

SÃO PAULO, Brazil — Urânia, a pioneering Brazilian company in educational technology, is transforming the way students across the country learn about astronomy through its innovative project, “O planetário móvel vai às escolas” (The planetarium goes to schools). This ambitious 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 meters (23 feet) in diameter and 3.8 meters (12.5 feet) in height, are traveling 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 lumen 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.

“The Christie 4K860-iS projectors have been an essential component of our mobile planetariums,” said Tiago José da Silva, CEO of Urânia. “These projectors are not only powerful, compact, and flexible but also resilient enough to withstand the demanding conditions of being set up and packed up daily, and the rigors of the road. Their reliability and ease of use are crucial for the success of our project.”

In addition to their durability, Urânia highlights the accessibility of these projectors in Brazil, thanks to Christie’s local distributor, SolutionShop. Tiago José da Silva added, “Finding projectors of this caliber in Brazil is not always easy, but Christie, through SolutionShop, provided us with simple access and excellent conditions, enabling us to bring this unique educational experience to students nationwide.”

Beyond its school outreach program, Urânia also contributed to the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA), held in Rio de Janeiro state in August 2024. For one of the event’s presentations, the company provided three of its mobile planetariums, each equipped with a Christie Inspire Series projector, to deliver a memorable experience to the participating students. The IOAA, an annual competition for high school students from around the world, attracted 250 students from 57 countries this year. “The students were highly impressed by the quality of the projections and the immersive movies showcased in the domes”, said Tiago José da Silva

The Christie Inspire Series 1DLP laser projectors are a professional-grade solution ideal for a range of applications, from boardrooms to classrooms and museums. They offer WUXGA or 4K UHD resolution, 24/7 operation, an IP5X dust-resistant optical engine, and whisper-quiet operation, making them a cost-effective choice for high-quality visual displays in small-to-mid-size environments.