South Africa's refurbished Digital Dome set to open in February 2025

The largest planetarium in sub-Saharan Africa is set to re-open in Johannesburg early next year with a fully modernized digital dome that will illuminate the screen with expansive visuals of the solar system.

Star-gazers and tech lovers alike on Wednesday were treated to demonstrations of what the now-renamed Wits Anglo American Digital Dome has to offer at the Wits University planetarium.

The immersive experience is brought to life by 10 state of the art digital projectors and surround sound.

The dome's head says the new technology will change the learning experience for young children and adults, who often get lost in the screens of their cellphones.

“So this is screen time, but you actually get to learn a lot from that whole 20 or 30 minutes. You will actually learn a lot from that,” Moumita Aich adds.

Since its opening in 1960, the planetarium has seen tens of thousands of school children and would-be astronomers visit to experience the wonders of the solar system.

Its renovation will help many more to embrace the science of the universe, while also serving as a research space where scientists can display and experience their findings on the 360 degrees screen.