Silesian Planetarium

The Mikołaj Kopernik Silesian Planetarium, established on December 4, 1955, in Chorzów, is the largest and oldest planetarium and astronomical observatory in Poland. Its construction began in 1953 to mark the Copernican Year, and the design was created by architect Zbigniew Solawa. Located on Parkowa Hill, the planetarium is distinguished by its large 23-meter dome, which serves as a projection screen for the powerful UPP projector manufactured by Zeiss. Since 2018, the facility has undergone modernization, and its interior has been equipped with a modern digital Chiron III projector and 10 digital SONY projectors, enabling the display of approximately 100 million stars in True 8K resolution on a spherical screen with an area of nearly 800 square meters. The Planetarium also includes an astronomical observatory with Poland's largest 30-centimeter refractor telescope, as well as climatological and seismological stations. In 2022, a four-year modernization was completed, transforming the planetarium into a modern Silesian Science Park, which offers interactive exhibitions. The facility also holds cultural significance, as evidenced by the postage stamps issued in its honor—the first on September 15, 1966, and another on June 29, 2007. The Silesian Planetarium is an important landmark on the map of Polish astronomy and scientific education, attracting both local residents and tourists.