Schoolchildren in Lancashire and Cumbria will be able to visit an inflatable planetarium thanks to Lancaster University.

The planetarium - called LUniverse - could inspire the next generation by using state-of-the art equipment offering a totally immersive 360 degree journey through space.

Dr Julie Wardlow from the Department of Physics at Lancaster University said: “This is a great way of engaging people and you can do so much more with this inflatable planetarium.

“You can take a tour of astronomical telescopes around the world, land on the surface of planets, view the Earth from Mars and look at a solar eclipse. It can take you anywhere you want to go in the Universe and we can tailor each show to different audiences, so it can be used by professional astronomers and schoolchildren alike.”

Partially funded by the university with an additional £30,000 contribution from the Science and Technology Facilities Council, the large inflatable dome can be erected inside a school hall to enable children to learn about the universe without the expense and time involved in travelling to a planetarium inside a building.

Dr Wardlow said: “We wanted to enable every child to benefit from seeing a planetarium, not just those whose parents would take them to visit one anyway.”

The planetarium will also be used for community events, school visits to campus, and other events on campus. Email for further information physics-planetarium@lancaster.ac.uk