By Swe Oo Wai

The plans are underway to upgrade Yangon Planetarium, one of the places of interest to make observation and it is also certainly worth a study not only for the Yangonites but also for those living countryside. Yangon Planetarium was inaugurated on 17 February in 1987 to mark the friendship between Myanmar and Japan and now it has been more than 33 years.

Negotiation with Japanese embassy and JICA
Negotiations are being conducted with the Japanese embassy in Yangon and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) so as to upgrade Yangon Planetarium, said U Maung Maung Soe, Mayor of Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC) at the fourth day’s Yangon regional Hluttaw meeting on 25 February 2020.
The planetarium projector of Yangon Planetarium located near the back entrance of People’s Park in Dagon Township, Yangon, doesn’t work properly as it has been used for ages. It can’t show a variety of images of celestial objects anymore and spare parts of projector become rare. For these reasons, negotiations are being conducted with the former donor of the JICA.

Handing over responsibility for Yangon Planetarium
Negotiation is being conducted with the JICA to upgrade the planetarium and get a new projector and moreover spend allotted budget supporting Japanese culture. The first-ever department that was responsible for Yangon Planetarium was Sports and Physical Education Department of the Ministry of Health. In 1988, Yangon Planetarium was handed over to the Department of Archeology, National Museum and Library under the Ministry of Culture. On 3 February in 2009, the Department of Parks, Playgrounds & Gardens under Yangon City Development Committee continued taking responsibility for the preservation of Yangon Planetarium.

Worth-visiting spot
At a time when efforts are being made for all-round development of Yangon, plans are underway to upgrade Yangon Planetarium. It will be not only a place for relaxation but also a place for seeking knowledge about images of celestial objects for all ages young and old.

Yangon Planetarium established by Japanese government
Yangon Planetarium situated in People’s Park opposite Summit Park View Hotel on Ahlon road in Yangon is in a quiet locality. Yangon Planetarium was established by Japan to mark friendship between Myanmar and Japan.

Yangon Planetarium can be observed in person
Yangon Planetarium can accommodate up to about 200 viewers and an event showing time is just 20 minutes. An event is divided into two parts. Pictures and paintings are shown in the first part, and stars and a collection of celestial objects in the second part. The viewer will be able to feel as if he was in the universe in which he can study planets, stars, and images of celestial objects in person.

Plan to upgrade Yangon Planetarium
The images of celestial objects can be seen together with voice over. In the past, the salient points of the images of celestial objects and stars could be learned only from the books. These views are really interesting for the young. Yangon Planetarium is a new site of interest. For that reason, plans are being made to upgrade the planetarium to become a place of interest, relaxation and knowledge. The mayor of Fukuoka from Japan who arrived in Yangon during November in 2018 said during his visit that negotiation on planetarium upgrade would be conducted for the emergence of the planetarium meeting the international norms.
The projector is placed on the stage in the middle of the booth of the planetarium and it is surrounded by seats. The visitors have to take those seats watching planetary stars studded collections appeared in the surface of the sky. The visitors young and old can understand the explanation of planets and star studded collections with the use of voice over. The paintings as to celestial objects and the universe are hung on the walls outside the planetarium exhibition hall. The explanations for each painting have been given and the different paintings depict the sun and its organizations, the earth, clouds and star studded collections.

Nay Pyi Taw with the establishment of planetarium
Nay Pyi Taw Planetarium is located in Yezin in the outskirts of Nay Pyi Taw and it is between mile post No 256/1 and No 253/0 in the east of Yangon-Mandalay highway. The construction of Nay Pyi Taw Planetarium began 9 November in 2008 and ended on 20 March in 2009. Nay Pyi Taw Planetarium was established in agreement with the international design.

Nay Pyi Taw Planetarium can accommodate up to 160 viewers
Nay Pyi Taw Planetarium is made up of the planetarium booth, the main hall, the education booth, the entrance hall, the gift shop, and the food shop. The planetarium projector, three dimensional video systems, program broadcasting equipment and sound related devices were bought from the United States of America, Italy, Japan and France. Nay Pyi Taw Planetarium can accommodate up to 160 people who can watch the images of celestial objects and stars as well as the universe at the same time.

Translated by Htut Htut (Twantay)