Astronomical Route

Description Astronomical planetarium tour in Cusco

With the Astronomical Planetarium Tour in Cusco or “Astronomical Route Cusco”, you will be closer to the sky and from a planetarium you will observe the stars of the firmament, constellations and nebulae. This tour is ideal for those who look up and ask so many questions and for those who love to discover and observe what is beyond the reach of our eyes.

One of the best ways to close your visit in Cusco, after seeing the wonderful archaeological centers that this city offers to every visitor, is this astronomical route and interpretation center of the Astronomy of the Incas; we will see the sky of Cusco through huge telescopes from the point of view of the Incas, before the enormous space that surrounds us and that we do not know, it will be an unforgettable experience to approach and understand the cosmovision of our ancestors.

ASTRONOMY owes its existence to the people who throughout history, out of passion and curiosity, have raised their eyes and looked at the sky. In 1609, Galileo used a homemade 8x telescope to demonstrate to the Venetian authorities the potential of such an instrument for the study of the cosmos. Using progressively more powerful telescopes, Galileo made many important discoveries. The telescope revealed, for the first time since antiquity, many stars and phenomena that were too faint for the human eye, thus initiating modern astronomy.

Since time immemorial, man has looked at the sky and searched for answers and his connection with the universe. He has reflected the earth in the sky to understand nature, to systematize it in calendars and even to seek his spiritual and religious transcendence. The Andean peoples use the axis of the galaxy as the main axis in the observation of the sky in relation to the angle of sunrise and sunset at the solstice in June and December. That is why they point out the main constellations in the Milky Way region of the sky, Cusco Astronomical Route.

The constellations mark the agricultural and ceremonial calendar in the sky of the two distinct seasons in the Andes, winter and summer. The constellations in the summer sky are Kotu Sankha or handful of fire embers, located near the star Aldebaran, which is the brightest red giant star in the Taurus constellation.

The other constellation is Puma yunta or puma pair, which is a sacred animal to the Andean peoples. The two stars of equal magnitude represent the head of each puma. In lunar eclipse the puma is represented eating the moon. The next constellation that can be seen is Lajha Mantha or entrance to the world below, it is linked to the calendar and religious belief.

Enjoy the Planetarium Astronomical Tour in Cusco.

MAIN POINTS OF VISIT

• Cusco (3,390 masl)
• Sacsayhuaman (3,700 masl)

Day 1: Cusco – Recocijo Square- Llaullipata Park – Planetarium – Recocijo Square

• 17.40 hrs The pick up point will be the Plaza Regocijo (behind the main square of Cusco), from here we will move to the Ecological Reserve of Llaullipata, near Sacsayhuaman.
• 18.00 hrs From here in the rooms of the planetarium we will have a talk about Quechua astronomy and the cosmos in which we will explain the relationship of Andean man with the cosmos.
• 18.30 hrs Then, we will go to the dome or circular theater to see a virtual projection of the sky with which we can identify the Quechua constellations, constellations such as Scorpio, Virgo, etc. very different from those identified by other civilizations and the man of today. Very different from those we studied at school and will give us a fascinating worldview about man and the universe, talks, legends and a delicious hot mate will prepare us to go out to the field observation.
• 19.00 hrs Finally we will observe the firmament with the telescopes, as long as the weather conditions are good and we will be able to identify the Quechua constellations, bodies of the universe that are not perceptible to the naked eye.
• At the end of the observation, we will have learned to recognize the southern sky (southern hemisphere), we will understand the Inca constellations (different from those of the western world) and the relationship of the Andean man with the cosmos. We will have observed through telescopes the planets, stars and/or nebulae that are visible in the sky.
• 19.40 hrs We will board the transportation to return to Cusco city center, we will leave you near the main square.

BREAKFAST – HOTEL / LUNCH AND DINNER – PASSENGER