JC ZozobradoJourney Beyond the Farthest Stars
In 1975, the Philippines caught a glimpse of space up close for the first time with the opening of the National Planetarium in the Rizal Park Complex. Fast forward to 2016, after years of closure, the facility has been upgraded and reopened to the public, made available for free for a limited time. Here’s an event review of the second coming of the National Planetarium.
For most of the world, being able to see the stars is just a figment of science fiction and very creative imagination. Either that, or you own a very nice telescope. But there are places such as planetariums that offer an up-close experience of these majestic balls of light. If you still haven’t gone to the National Planetarium, here are a few reasons we think you should.
Top Reasons to Visit the National Planetarium
1. You get to explore outer space.
The Space Exploration Program of the United States has since lost its federal funding because it became too expensive to maintain. Private firms like SpaceX have begun to attempt their own journeys toward the final frontier, but still, at a massive financial cost. Imagine being able to see the depths of space up close at a minute fraction of the cost?
With the introductory offer, entrance to the National Planetarium is free-of-charge. And even when they eventually start charging visitors for entrance, the fee would be a drop in the bucket compared to actual space exploration costs shouldered by the governments of nations that have an active space program.
2. You get to travel through time.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that traveling through space means traveling through time. Sure, it’s the same whether you visit the Planetarium or not, but think of how cool it would be to “time travel” with stars and planets all around you? Makes you feel like you’re part of a sci-fi movie. And technicalities aside, the stars that we see when we look at the sky at night (or the planetarium) are only remnants of their actual selves. Because the nearest star is actually thousands of light years away, its possible that the stars we see are only the result of the light reaching this part of the universe after thousands of years. Ergo, an image of the past. Time traveling without the Delorian.
3. It is not limited to the brainy.
Access to the National Planetarium in Rizal Park (or any Planetarium for that matter) is not limited to the brainy, nerdy, or geeky members of society. You don’t have to have superior IQ to be able to enter. Anyone and everyone with wide-eyed wonder and curiosity about the stars and space can enter and visit the planetarium.
It is also open to all ages. The Planetarium opens all kinds of doors for anyone who wants to know more and explore space on their own time.
4. Anything’s Possible.
Ever heard of the saying “Kaya mo yan, Buwan nga narating eh “(If man made it to the moon, you can do anything)? They call space “The Final Frontier” simply because there’s nothing else to explore or conquer after that. So, since we’re talking about reaching space, it gives human beings a sense of fulfillment and achievement, wherein (as the saying goes) they can do anything.
So will you boldly go where no man has gone before? Witness the birth of the universe and many other stellar events at the National Museum Planetarium today!
