Congresswoman Doris Matsui and Sacramento State President Alexander Gonzalez made the announcement. Matsui says the university is long overdue for a high-tech center.

"We want a place where teachers and students and young ones can come and get inspired and want to take more courses and want to perhaps get involved in the sciences. And you need a facility like this in this capital city to happen."

The proposed center would include an observator, planetarium and laboratories for student astronomy researchers. Matsui, along with her late husband, Congressman Bob Matsui, raised over $1 Million for the facility. Construction is set to start in about a year.