Old Astronomy
You are now in the era of Aristotle, Al-Biruni and Al-Sufi. You are going to explore the universe through their simple instruments. Are you going to experience the fascinating astrolabe like Al-Biruni, or are you going even further back in time to the formation of our Solar System, bombarding the planets with devastating asteroids? Or perhaps you want to explore the history of our understanding of the universe, from Ptolemy’s Geo-centrism to Copernicus’s helio-centric view of the Solar System! Whatever your choice might be, you will surely get to experience these concepts in a new and unique way!
Telescopes and Optics
Here, you travel further to join Galileo and Kepler at the first steps of modern astronomy using the first telescopes. You will learn about the principals behind Newton's reflecting telescope and Cassegrain’s inventive telescope utilizing lasers and other interactive tools. You will also get hands-on experience to understand concepts like a telescope’s focal length. In the middle of the galaxy, you will learn about the modern adaptive optics technology through a mirror that bends the universe around you! You will surely leave this station with a better understanding and appreciation of telescopes!
Analyzing Light to Understand the Universe
Despite how far away stars and galaxies are, we have still managed to know intricate details about their properties, like what chemical elements they are made of and how fast they are moving in space. How? With the power of physics, we can obtain such information simply by analyzing the light that’s coming from these objects! Come along and explore how astrophysicists do this! You will get hands-on experience in learning about interesting concepts like the Doppler effect, and how a planet’s eclipsing pattern of its parent star reveals its presence to us, and much more!
Cosmology and Theoretical Physics
Explore Einstein’s mind-boggling concepts of the relativity of space and time with a stationary bike and a simulated interstellar journey! You can also experiment with visual simulations of how mass can bend the fabric of space-time, before you transition to exploring inter-galactic space and move back in time to moments after the Big Bang and touch the simulated structure of the very early universe!
The Universe in the Holy Quran
Our universe is abundant with scientific and geometric miracles that have puzzled philosophers and scientists for thousands of years. Similarly, the Holy Qur'an is rich with verses that illustrate the might of Allah Almighty and the greatness of His creation. Let us go together to learn the story of how the universe has been created starting from the Big Bang through to the formation of the stars, the galaxies, and the solar system and finally to its final destination. All of this constitutes a unique harmony between what scientists believe today and what The Creator of the universe taught us in the Holy Qur'an 14 centuries ago.
Meteorite Collection
Make sure to stop by and explore SAASST’s unique meteorite collection, generously donated by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council, Ruler of Sharjah, and Founder of the University of Sharjah. This collection consists of more than 8,000 meteorite pieces of various types, collected from all over the world.
The collection is maintained and studied by our colleagues in the Academy’s Meteorite Center. To learn more, visit their dedicated page here.
A Piece of History: The Old Planetarium in Al Khan
The Sharjah Planetarium with its enhanced audience capacity and advanced technologies is the successor of the old Planetarium in Al Khan, which was inaugurated in 1981 and served in educating the public and inspiring their interest in learning more about the wonders of the universe.
To preserve the memory of this piece of history, and to highlight the great attention placed in expanding education by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council, Ruler of Sharjah, and Founder the University of Sharjah, we display the central opto-mechanical star-ball projector along with its controls and the first row of seats from the old Planetarium in our exhibit halls.
The Cosmic Park
SAASST’s cosmic park is a unique attraction with a skillfully designed layout resembling the Solar System. The central golden Dome of the Sharjah Planetarium represents the Sun, and placed around it and across the park are large models of the planets artfully covered in mosaic tiles.
The entire 300-thousand-meter square park is lined with concentric walking paths and rest stops between the planets. Green spaces add beauty to the place and are illuminated at night to highlight the orbits of the planets. Another notable feature in the park is a model of the Eagle lunar lander that landed on the moon in 1969.
