Filenews 9 December 2022
In a press conference-presentation, which took place in the morning at the Metropolis of Tamassos and Orini, the state-of-the-art Planetarium of Cyprus was presented.
Speaking at the conference, the Metropolitan of Tamassos and Orinis Isaias expressed his joy that with the new year the Planetarium of Cyprus will start its operation and will open its screens and dome to all the Cypriot public.
With an emphasis on young people and the sciences, he added emphatically that the Planetarium gives everyone the opportunity to be initiated into the mysteries of the universe. Metropolitan Tamassos stressed that the scientific achievements are nothing more than the decoding of the wisdom of God who, as Creator, created this wonderful world that planetariums and observatories bring to us.
The conference – presentation was undertaken and held by the Interstellar Institute which is also the educational and scientific advisor of the Planetarium of Cyprus.
The project was presented with a projection of its main characteristics by the CEO of Interstellar Achilleas Kentonis, who described all the innovative opportunities presented to the educational and scientific community of Cyprus. He talked about the new jobs that will be created, about cooperation with all the Universities of Cyprus, secondary and primary education. He also underlined the entertaining role of the Planetarium that it will have not only to young people but also to the families of the citizens of Cyprus.
The Planetarium of Cyprus is about 180 seats with ten state-of-the-art projectors, which guarantee a multidisciplinary entertainment and scientific spectacle.
The astrophysicist Chrysanthos Fakas, developed the vision of the Planetarium and its capabilities. Among other things, he said: "Man, the more he searches to find answers to the great questions about the creation of the world, ultimately ends up with the Creator of this firmament. So gradually began the realization of a vision that in the process took on greater dimensions and reached the limits of the dream. With the assistance of the Metropolitan, this project took shape. The knowledge will be addressed to all ages regardless of the educational or social background of the audience. The Tamassos Planetarium with its state-of-the-art equipment, as well as its twenty-meter dome, combined with the telescopes that will frame it, make it one of the most important planetariums not only in Europe but also in the whole world".
The Cyprus Planetarium in Tamassos is in the final phase of its completion in early 2023 and is expected to open its gates to the public of Cyprus, school students, and tourists in the middle of 2023. With specific programs it will be accessible to the less privileged social groups of our country.
The press conference was attended by representatives of the Deputy Ministry of Innovation and Research, the director of Top Kinisis Dinos Kakkouras who spoke about the program "astrotourism in Cyprus" and its huge potential. The president of the SOFIA Cultural Foundation, Renos Michaelides, was also present. SOFIA is the owner of one of the largest collections of scientific games in the world that can be hosted in the exhibition spaces of the Cyprus Planetarium.
