Astronomy

If you look into the open doors of a dome from which a telescope is pushed, you will encounter a symbol of an exhibition devoted to astronomy.

It will be based on three original three-dimensional items (a circumzenithal, a reflex circle and an astrograph) supplemented by other two-dimensional documents. Each part of he exhibition will have a place where a demonstration item will be available for direct contact. This will give you the opportunity to independently try out the work of astronomers and understand the basics of astronomical measurements.

The items on display will include a working sundial; you will see how the height of stars is measured using a Jacob's stick; you will have the opportunity to try to measure the angle distance of stars using a sextant and there will be a working model of a telescope and planetarium. These instruments and the opportunity to make practical use of them will significantly enliven and bring dynamism to the whole. In addition to the exhibits already mentioned, we expect to display many other items, both as copies or models.

We are preparing for you some information for you about this branch of science on several levels, both with the help of text, pictorial information and multimedia. We will have an electronic presentation of information about the Solar System and galaxy and also programs related to the sky, where you will be able to ascertain the current position of the sky at any place and time, as well as the current location of the planets.

The exhibition will hark back to the most famous era of Czech astronomy during the reign of Rudolf II and will introduce the leading personalities of Czech and foreign astronomy: Hájek, Brahe, Kepler, Bürgi and Habermel, as well as some others such as Galileo Galilei and Giordano Bruno. One part of the exhibition will recall the period thanks to its architectural design in the form of a replica of part of the gallery on the Belveder summer chateau, which is situated next to Prague Castle and was the observatory of Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler. The visitors will be allowed to access the gallery and will see copies of Tycho's quadrant and Bürgi's sextant.

The whole exhibition will be interesting from the artistic viewpoint as well. We expect that it will be darkened with imitation stars in the sky with shades of blue, to make best use of the illusion of night observation. On the other hand, we intend to use lots of light in the part that demonstrates observation of the sun and the principle of measuring time using a sundial.