Pathani Samanta Planetarium

This planetarium in Bhubaneswar honours Pathani Samanta, an Odia scholar remembered for working out the distance between the earth and the sun with simple instruments such as a bamboo tube. Odisha's Science and Technology Department opened it in 1986, and its 23-metre dome ranks third in size among Indian planetariums. It received a national award for science popularisation in 1993.

Shows run for 30 to 40 minutes in English, Hindi and Odia, with titles on the sun, the night sky and the wider universe. A gallery of astronomical devices traces how early observers studied the heavens, and the programme also includes poster displays, audio-visual sessions, night sky viewing and special Sky Watch events during eclipses. A talent search for young astronomers sends selected students on visits to national space organisations. Around 150,000 people come each year.