Ireland Guide
Down and Armagh
Armagh Planetarium
Address: A couple of hundred metres up College Hill from the northern end of The Mall
Telephone: 028/3752 3689
Website: www.armaghplanet.com
Opening time: Call for show and opening times
Price: Adults £6 per show, children 6–15 £5
The recently and completely refurbished Armagh Planetarium lays claim to "the world's most advanced digital production projection system, Digistar 3" with full animation of the planetarium's dome (and reclining seats to enjoy the full effects), as well as an extraordinarily good sound setup. Various shows (30–40min each) are on offer including the child-oriented "Secret of the Cardboard Rocket" which explores the solar system; "Pole Position", touring the constellations; and the historically focused "Dawn of the Space Age". Inside there's also an exhibition hall (£2) featuring a range of high-tech interactive displays of the cosmos, as well as images of deep space and an assortment of meteorite chunks from the Moon and Mars. Outside there's the landscaped Astropark (free), a series of trails depicting the extent of the solar system in comparison to the known universe – a stroll up the Hill of Infinity leads to its very edge and also offers a glorious view of the city.