Wei Zi Observatory

The Beijing Planetarium is the first planetarium in China. Located outside Xizhimen, Beijing. Established in September 1957.

The museum has a celestial hall with a diameter of 23.5 meters, which symbolizes the sky. There is an exquisite large-scale domestic astronomical instrument in the middle, which can perform astronomical phenomena such as the sun, moon, stars, meteors, comets, solar eclipses and lunar eclipses. It can hold 600 people. There is a Foucault pendulum reflecting the rotation of the earth in the center of the hall. The exhibition hall on the west side shows astronomical knowledge exhibitions, and the lecture hall on the east side often holds academic exchanges and reports on popularizing astronomical scientific knowledge. There are two observatories in the courtyard, one of which is equipped with a telescope with a diameter of 13 cm. Visitors can watch the moon, planets, nebulae and star clusters through the telescope and observe sunspots during the day. The museum also used this mirror for research records and participated in the national sunspot joint observation project. The other is the chromosphere Telescope Observatory, which uses the chromosphere telescope to observe and photograph the changes of the solar chromosphere. There is also an astronomical square on the west side to display outdoor observation instruments for the audience to observe.

The museum has Astronomical Enthusiast magazine and Astronomical Calendar magazine co-edited with Purple Mountain Observatory.

Located in the southwest of Jianguomen overpass in Dongcheng, Beijing, Beijing Ancient Observatory is managed by Beijing Planetarium and is a national key cultural relic protection unit. The ancient observatory was built in the seventh year of the Ming Dynasty (1442), and it displays eight giant bronze astronomical instruments in the Qing Dynasty: equatorial theodolite, ecliptic theodolite, planetarium, time limiter, quadrant, horizon theodolite, leveling instrument, with vivid posture and exquisite craftsmanship. The ancient observatory also includes Wei Zi Hall, the Forbidden City and other ancillary buildings.

There is a three-story hollow hall under the main platform of the ancient observatory; Among them are the first and second exhibition halls, the Wei Zi Hall, the East-West Wing, the China Ancient Astronomical Achievement Exhibition, and the plaques inscribed by Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty, namely, "Observing the Image and Giving Time". In front of Wei Zi Hall, there are one-third simple instruments and armillary models, and in the courtyard, there are original instruments. There is a bronze watch in front of the cinema.

Not long ago, the 26th General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union adopted a new definition of planet, which attracted wide attention from all walks of life. Dr Zhu Jin, curator of Beijing Planetarium, attended the meeting. On September 3, 2006, at 4:50 pm, the Beijing Planetarium will hold a public lecture, inviting Director Zhu Jin to interpret the latest planetary definition of the International Astronomical Union and its introduction process for the public. The lecture will be held in the Astronomical Hall of the Old Beijing Planetarium.

Those who are interested can get tickets for this lecture free of charge with valid certificates. Ticket collection time is from August 3rd1to September 2nd at 9: 00-1:30-16: 30; Ticket collection place: Room 403, Beijing Planetarium; Tel: 5 1583044, 5 158302 1, 5 1583072.