ʻImiloa Completes Major Planetarium Upgrade

ʻImiloa hosts the first 10k-resolution Planetarium in Hawaiʻi following a major upgrade in November 2023.

Additionally, the NASA-funded $720,000 enhancement features 10 laser-illuminated projectors, superior graphic performance, and new features that greatly enhance user experience and ʻImiloa’s unique science and wayfinding programs.

“We are excited to unveil this brand new state-of-the-art planetarium system that will be an immense benefit to our community and science partners across many different disciplines,” said ʻImiloa Executive Director Kaʻiu Kimura. “We invite everyone to come enjoy this enhanced immersive space and see our universe as never before.”

The new system is one of the first of its kind in the country. Combined with increased computing power and a new software platform, the upgrade significantly boosts ʻImiloa’s planetarium performance and creates new scientific journeys for visitors.

“We want to mahalo NASA for supporting this upgrade and our vendor, SSIA Technologies,” Kimura said. “This new system will allow us to greatly expand the educational tools available, from data visualization to video streaming and beyond.”