There are two key venues for astronomy experts and enthusiasts in Madrid: the Real Observatorio and the Planetario de Madrid. Both centers are dedicated to the promotion and dissemination of the study of the celestial bodies of the universe and related sciences, but with differences. The Real Observatorio de Madrid has historically been involved in astronomical and geophysical research, while the Planetario de Madrid focuses on the dissemination of astronomy through projections and exhibitions.
Real Observatorio de Madrid
The Royal Observatory of Madrid is part of the National Geographic Institute and houses the National Astronomical Observatory of Spain and the Central Geophysical Observatory. In addition, over the centuries it has played a crucial role in weather monitoring and cartography.
This center was one more of the initiatives of Carlos III, the king nicknamed as the mayor of Madrid, although it began to be built already under the reign of Carlos IV, in 1790. Juan de Villanueva, also the architect of the Prado Museum, was in charge of designing this neoclassical building. Although it suffered some damage during the War of Independence, it was restored and enlarged in the 19th century.
It now offers guided tours that allow visitors to explore the main building, known as the Villanueva, see the central rotunda where the Foucault Pendulum, a replica of Herschel’s great telescope, Repsold’s meridian circle (1854) and many old books on this science of great historical value are located.
Planetario de Madrid
The Madrid Planetarium, however, is a young and updated version of the Observatory, with a different approach. This building was built in 1986 and was thoroughly renovated between 2016 and 2017. It is more focused on outreach through a high-quality hybrid optical-digital projection system, which allows for immersive projections in its dome that tour the universe for half an hour and are periodically renewed.
Among the exhibitions and workshops, one of its most attractive activities is the free observation with telescopes, which is also complemented by an LED screen to which the explanations of astronomers are added.
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