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RSA Cosmos, leading provider of immersive solutions for planetariums, has recently completed a major digital transformation project in the heart of Johannesburg, South Africa: the modernization of the Wits Anglo American Digital Dome, formerly the Wits Planetarium, located on the campus of University of Witwatersrand.
This large-scale project illustrates RSA Cosmos’s long-standing commitment to support its partners in the design and modernization of immersive spaces dedicated to science, innovation, and public engagement.
Originally inaugurated in 1960, the historic Wits University planetarium has been completely revamped. Featuring a 20-meter dome, the venue has been upgraded with 10 Sony GTZ 380 projectors delivering 8K resolution, an immersive 8.2 sound system, and a master control station designed for intuitive operation.
Now offering seating for 200 people, the dome welcomes a wide variety of audiences: students, researchers, artists, and curious minds. The space has been transformed into a true hub of interactive content exploration, going beyond astronomy to include digital arts, humanities, AI, sports, and more.
“The Wits Anglo American Digital Dome, formerly the Johannesburg Planetarium, which first opened in October 1960, was recently upgraded to a digital fulldome system. RSA Cosmos successfully accomplished the supply, installation, and commission of an 8K full-dome system for our 20.4 metres Digital Dome using 10 Sony VPL-GTZ380 projectors, 8.2 audio system, server racks with clusters comprising of image generators and main computer to run SkyExplorer and FreeDome software, in compliance with our request for proposals and specifications within our allocated budget. The installation was completed by Nicolas Cursoux with the help of their local partner Sound Stylists. This was followed by hardware training by Nicolas, SkyExplorer training by Camille Tachet and online FreeDome training by Qasim Brighet. Even after the formal training was over, we received immense technical support online promptly from RSA Cosmos whenever we had any technical issues.
RSA Cosmos is a professional and reliable company, and we strongly recommend working with them.” — Dr Moumita Aich, Head of the Wits Anglo American Digital Dome
The upgraded Wits Digital Dome now runs on RSA Cosmos’s high-performance software solutions:
Together, these technologies enable versatile, immersive, and engaging experiences, tailored to the needs of both academic institutions and broader audiences.
Beyond the technological achievement, this project reflects RSA Cosmos’s ambition: helping institutions build planetariums that support education, public science, and interdisciplinary research.
With each project, RSA Cosmos provides:
This philosophy ensures that each installation delivers lasting educational, cultural, and scientific value.
“I’m really proud to have taken part in the renovation of the Wits University planetarium in Johannesburg. Every project comes with its own unique challenges, and this one was no exception. But with the dedication and professionalism of the team on site — and the invaluable support of our partner Sound Stylists — we were able to create something truly spectacular. The result speaks for itself and places this site among the most impressive planetariums in Africa.” — Nicolas Cursoux, Head of Projects, RSA Cosmos
Delivered with the support of local partner Sound Stylists, the Wits Digital Dome project once again demonstrates RSA Cosmos’s ability to manage ambitious international projects. From the initial design to final implementation, each step was handled with care to meet the specific needs of the university and ensure the long-term success of the installation.
“We first met RSA Cosmos at ISE 2024 and were impressed with their knowledge and experience with domes and planetariums. RSA was able to use our local positioning in Johannesburg and our relationship with the University to assist in importing equipment and installing the NEXO iD24 system. The whole process went smoothly, and Sound Stylists was trained for basic maintenance to support the University locally. Several clients who have visited the new dome have commented on the significant technological improvement.” — Kevin Glover, Sound Stylists
Thanks to this teamwork, the Wits Digital Dome is now positioned as one of Africa’s most advanced immersive planetarium— a beacon for scientific education, research, and creative exploration in the region.
Learn more about the Wits Anglo American Digital Dome
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