National Gwacheon Science Museum to Host “Moon and Stars Public Observation Event” Year-Round

Held Once a Month
AI Smart Telescopes to Be Introduced in the Second Half of the Year

The National Gwacheon Science Museum will regularly host a “Moon and Stars Public Observation Event” once a month from January to December 2026. Rather than being a one-time event, this is an annual program designed to allow visitors to directly observe and experience the changing night sky throughout the seasons. In the second half of the year, the museum plans to introduce AI-based smart astronomical telescopes to minimize limitations caused by weather and observation conditions.

National Gwacheon Science Museum Planetarium. Provided by National Gwacheon Science Museum

The public observation event will take place on Saturdays close to the first quarter moon. The inaugural event will be held on January 31 in the area surrounding the Astronomy and Space Hall and the Planetarium. The program includes astronomy lectures, constellation commentary in the planetarium, telescope observation, and hands-on experience booths. The astronomy lectures will be delivered as a series of 30-minute sessions, designed to gradually deepen participants’ understanding of the universe throughout the year.

In the planetarium, constellation commentary and videos will be presented in a 25-meter-diameter facility. At the observatory, participants can use telescopes to observe the moon, seasonal constellations, star clusters, and planets. In the central hall, hands-on booths will offer activities such as making space holograms, creating James Webb Space Telescope posters, and experiencing space VR, all of which can be joined without a reservation.

The recommended minimum age for participation is seven years old. Both the astronomy lectures and the planetarium program require advance reservations. Detailed schedules and reservation methods can be found on the museum’s website.

Han Hyungjoo, Director of the National Gwacheon Science Museum, said, “I hope that the monthly public observation events will become memorable experiences that inspire awe for astronomy and space throughout the year.”