Planetarium shut for £15m revamp

The new planetarium should open in 2007

The Royal Observatory's planetarium is closing on Sunday to make way for a £15m state-of-the-art facility.

Work is due to begin in the New Year at the site in Greenwich, south-east London, as part of the redevelopment programme entitled Time and Space.

But star-gazers will still be able to learn about the cosmos at a temporary digital planetarium at the nearby National Maritime Museum.

It is hoped the new planetarium will open in 2007.

Money is still being raised for the project and although entry to the Royal Observatory is free visitors are asked to donate £1 each to kick-start fund-raising.

The new planetarium will have improved technology that will allow the observatory's astronomers to better interpret the skies.