During summer and autumn 2020 Astronomical center Rijeka continued to work upon the instructions of Croatian Civil Protection Headquarters that required 1.5m distancing and mask wearing. With smaller capacity in planetarium and in other vanues for events, we organized public programs continuously. Unfortunately, there were no conditions to reopen the observatory.
In the future, it is important to emphasize that all the programs and the Astronomical Center will work is organized programs and other jobs according to instructions of Croatian Civil Protection Headquarters and may change in the case of pandemic return.
The attendance on a regular week programs and programs for turists was quite good considering the situation. There where few organised group visits for example of the best national chemistry students, sports camps partecipans and spontaneously organised tourists groups. However, the bigest impact of pandemic period is registred on a low presence of oragnised group visitors from all ages.
Smaller capacity of Astronomical center Rijeka spaces was an opportunity for the Staff to organize new Program Packages that would offer the possibility to public for a longer presence and a diversity of programs. Combining programs in digital planetarium and the open air – park and panoramic terrace – adult public could participate on one and a half hours programs Starry Nights, Celestial Pearls and Autumn Overture. Combining films or live planetarium programs with the night sky laser and telescope stargazing. In case of bad weather conditions there was presented the half hour 30 minutes planetarium program on Light Pollution.
In late August/September restarted also the Matinee Saturdays for children with films Kaluoka’hina: the Enchanted Reef and Race to Earth, combined with two new NEW Workshops (for max. 10 participant, age 6-10) Earth and Moon Seas and Rocket Launchers. The aim was to learn more on the Earth-Moon system connections and differences and in the workshop on rockets to learn Basics of Rocketry, parts of a rocket and Rocket function principles. The New Planetarium live program The first Space Pilots on pioneers of Space exploration was lounched for age 8+ and a new workshop for kids Animals in Space.
The Center celebrated the Astronomy day and the International Observe the Moon Night with a full day program for all ages with different planetarium screenings - live and films, workshops for kids and quiz, lectures and night sky teleskope observing, organised in collaboration with the Academic astronomy society of Rijeka. The program was fallowed by the media and dedicated to sensibilize the large public on the beauty of the astronomy, night sky observation and light pollution.
At the time of wrighting, the Centre prepared special program for the Children Week, World Space Week and Earth Science Week. There will be organized thematic live programs and planetarium film screenings accompanied by lectures, quiz, hidden treasure, a public forum as well as stargazing through portable telescopes. With no restrictions, the International Exhibition and Congress Glowing Globe for Digital Media Artists will be organised in collaboration with the Centre of Innovative Media and one extraordinary cultural-scientific program dedicated to Meteor shower Leonidi. Also the new planetarium live show for kids is been prepared and is planed to be lounched in november.
It is important to emphasize that all the programs and the Astronomical Center work is organized according to instructions of Croatian Civil Protection Headquarters and may change in the case of pandemic return.
