Cities & Culture

Zeiss Planetarium Jena

The Zeiss Planetarium, which opened for the first time back in 1926, is the oldest planetarium in the world. And it is the largest one in Germany, thanks to its dome measuring 25 metres in diameter.

What makes the Zeiss Planetarium so fascinating is that it is a projection-based planetarium where the fixed stars and planets are projected onto the inside of a white dome. In 2011, a new video and audio system – a special projection system from Zeiss – was installed to enable the contrast between light and dark to be portrayed realistically.

The eight Velvet projectors working in sync make it possible to project moving images over the whole dome covering more than 800 square metres. The partial images are imposed on one another so that there is no chance of the audience seeing where they join. This way, a single coherent image appears on the dome. Alongside the usual live tours of the stars, the Planetarium in Jena hosts a wide range of multimedia events for educational and purely entertainment purposes aimed at school groups, families and, most importantly, small children. Plus, there are music shows, lectures and seasonal specials. Opening times: Subject to change

Explore the surroundings