Europlanetarium Genk
The Euro Planetarium Genk is a Public Observatory and Planetarium in Genk, Belgium, founded by Lode Vanhoutte.
Origin
Lode Vanhoutte from Genk started with boys Genk for researchers by 1969, he stalked the moon landing on popular science manner. Many other topics were discussed but astronomy proved to be the most interesting and the group around Vanhoutte found a location at the Association for Astronomy ( VFA) in Genk. Long-term precursors were already the Observatories of Grimbergen and Hove. The VFA and mainly Armand Pien (a former Weather Report Speaker) suggested that expand a full public observatory in each Flemish province, for the area around Limburg was thought to Genk. First there was a small single storey observatory, but an extension was already being planned.
Concrete plans
1977 began to be a full-fledged observatory to propagate with appropriate planning. 1979, he began a course in general astronomy for beginners, while a small group dealt with the business side of an establishment of the observatory.
The plans of the observatory to be built containing a domed building and an exhibition space. The actual dome and telescope room should be located 5 meters above the ground floor. This room is in contrast to the classical Observatories square, with a recessed in the ceiling ring beam. To keep costs down, it was decided to build the dome in self-help.
Opening
In 1983 started the construction work. Apart from the self-built dome was also a big part of the inner direction on their own, done by active members of the observatory. The final opening was in 1984.
Planetarium
Given the delicate economic problems of the mining area and the need to create a permanent tourist infrastructure for Genk, it was thought to grow to the existing public observatory, a planetarium, which would have a positive effect in Genk on tourism. The predominantly tourist character of the planetarium project for the region is part of the fundamental restructuring of the former mining area, the observatory can also be used during the day or on cloudy days.
There were three partners for the expansion: the EEC (50 %), the Flemish General Commission for Tourism ( 40%) and the former Municipality of Genk (10 %). The architect Jos Hanssen made a preliminary draft and later a final draft for the amount for a construction cost of € 450,000.
The final construction costs amounted to € 600,000 at the end, making all the plans could not be executed. The upper floor was only provided as an option for the future, as well as various other rooms. The end of 1990 the most modern planetarium in the Benelux countries should be completed. We ordered a medium-sized planetarium, type SPACEMASTER from the GDR and a dome with a diameter of 12.50 m. The opening finally took place on 20 December 1991, but in 1992 the technical installation was complete. By 1995, the technology was extended and completed the construction. Limburg's Public Observatory is an institutional member of the International Planetary Society.