Bhubaneswar Planetarium Not To Have Facility To Watch Solar Eclipse

Bhubaneswar: Pathani Samant Planetarium in Odisha capital, which usually makes arrangements to observe special celestial activities, will have no facility for solar eclipse on Tuesday.

According to sources, local visitors and tourists have been deprived of the regular shows in the planetarium which has remained closed since Friday. The planetarium conducts 4 shows from 2 pm to 6 pm everyday.

Planetarium sources said it has been closed due to technical reasons and the shows will begin after repair of mechanical defects after October 27.

As a result, the people, particularly students, interested in watching the solar eclipse through high-power telescope of the planetarium will be deprived of the facility.

Deputy director of the planetarium Subhendu Pattnaik said the solar eclipse will be visible for a short duration of 20 minutes and the sky would remain cloudy. Besides it will occur in western sky in the evening. Considering these factors, the special arrangement has not been made this time, he added.