RELEASE: THEATRICAL

Worlds Beyond Earth
2020
25

Narrated by Academy Award-winner Lupita Nyong’o, Worlds Beyond Earth tells the story of the surprisingly dynamic worlds that orbit our Sun.

Based on authentic scientific data from groundbreaking space missions, Worlds Beyond Earth takes viewers on an exhilarating adventure through our cosmic neighborhood.  Immersive visualizations showcase the solar system with unprecedented accuracy, including a landing on the cratered surface of our own Moon, a dramatic flight through the swirling rings of Saturn, and soaring encounters with distant worlds of active volcanoes and buried oceans.

Featuring breathtaking visuals and cutting-edge science, Worlds Beyond Earth is a dazzling celebration of the Age of Exploration and the unique conditions that make life on Earth possible.

Worlds Beyond Earth was created by the American Museum of Natural History, the Frederick Phineas and Sandra Priest Rose Center for Earth and Space, and the Hayden Planetarium.

Music – A Dream of Sound
25
Magic Tree House: Space Mission
2010
30

Travel with brother-and-sister duo Jack and Annie in their Magic Tree House® as they proceed to answer questions left for them in a mysterious note signed “–M.”

They first wish themselves to an observatory where they meet an astronomer who helps them answer the first few questions on the note. With the help of the astronomer, the Internet, an astronaut, books, and the note’s author, Jack and Annie are then taken on a wondrous journey of adventure and learning.

Let this exciting voyage carry you to the planets and far out into the universe where the duo nearly … well, you’ll have to find out yourself. The adventure is just beginning!

The Adventures of Rosetta & Philae
27

Once upon a time there was a space probe called Rosetta, which was shot into the night sky.  She was embarking on a long, long journey with the aim of unveiling the secrets of our solar system.  On board was her constant companion, the lander Philae.  The destination of their journey was comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

Join Rosetta and her lander Philae on a wonderful journey to the comet Chury.  They travelled for more than ten years and experienced lots of exciting things along the way.  Little Philae eventually managed to land on the comet and explore it more
closely.  Come along on the adventure and find out what secrets Philae and Rosetta were able to unveil.

On the long journey from Earth into space, you’ll hear from Rosetta and Philae what it takes technically and scientifically to explore a comet up close.  You’ll also find out what fascinating insights have been gained from comets, these “dirty snowballs” that travel through space.  The dome adaption of ESA’s great cartoon about the Rosetta Mission will entertain and educate children and adults alike.

The Wall
67
The Dark Side of the Moon
43
Wayfinders: Waves, Winds, and Stars
2013
55, 24

This live-action fulldome program puts you on the deck of the voyaging canoe Hōkūleʻa as you explore traditional Polynesian navigation.  Learn how to read the stars and interpret the winds and waves to navigate without modern instruments.  The film tells the story of the Polynesian Voyaging Society and the recovery of the nearly lost art and science of traditional, non-instrument navigation in Hawaii.

The film stands on its own as a 25-minute show but can be extended to an hour by integrating live, instructor-led elements to immerse the audience in an interactive learning experience.  The first two live segments build to the third: a virtual trip from Hawaii to Tahiti and back with the audience determining when they have returned to Hawaii.

The Little Star That Could
2009
36, 25

The Little Star That Could has been reproduced by Audio Visual Imagineering and Brevard Community College for the digital full dome era with computer graphic animation.  This popular and well-loved story owned and created by The Saint Louis Science Center over 20 years ago has been updated with accurate astronomical information.  Have no fear; the story basically remains the same with all of your favorite stars!  For those of you who are not familiar with the show, The Little Star That Could is a story about Little Star, an average yellow star in search for planets of his own to protect and warm.  Along the way, he meets other stars, learns what makes each star special, and discovers that stars combine to form star clusters and galaxies.  Eventually, Little Star finds his planets.  Each planet is introduced to your audiences with basic information about our Solar System.  Talented artists responsible for the new show include Mark Howard and Joe Tucciarone of the Astronaut Memorial Planetarium in Cocoa, FL.  Directed by Willie Castro of Willie Castro Animation, Inc.  The new musical score was produced by John Avarese of JAV Productions.

The Moon
2012
19

Enrich discussion, live teaching, and interaction in the planetarium experiences you provide your audiences!  The Moon modular planetarium program incorporates live interactive planetarium teaching with a planetarium program that has been designed in a modular nature.  This program has been produced to be used with modern fulldome technology for classic planetariums with a single flat screen projector/DVD set-up.  It targets grades K through 2 and focuses on observations of the moon.  The program comes with live interaction lessons that could be used in between the pre-recorded modules of the program or as stand-alone lessons.  Further, additional related hands-on activities can be demonstrated and discussed to round out a complete learning experience on lunar observation by early elementary students.

The Weather
2013
15

AVI’s newest interactive modular planetarium program covering the national science standards for weather – grades K-2.

Module One: Using the Senses to Observe Weather and Identifying Cloud Types – Module one will help connect children to the weather around them by encouraging them to use their senses to observe weather.  It will also introduce children to the basic cloud types and how they are associated with specific weather conditions.  The idea of weather forecasting will be presented in this module as well.

Module Two: Describing and Measuring the Weather – This module will introduce children to the basic weather terms that are used to describe weather conditions.  It will also help children identify the appropriate instruments that are used for studying and measuring weather.

Module Three: Identifying the Basic Features of the Water Cycle – The final module will present the major steps of the water cycle.  To help with this concept, children will follow a drop of water through the entire water cycle.

Seasons
1987
33

Seasons features the music of Vivaldi in a celebration of Earth’s changing cycles.  Spring’s awakening, summer’s growth, autumn’s harvest, and winter’s dormancy are beautifully portrayed, along with a look at Earth as a planet, the sun as a star, and the relationship between the two.

Beyond the Sun
2018
26

Celeste is fighting off sleep by reading a book on astronomy when, through her bedroom window, she receives a visit from MOON and his mischievous helpers.

Moon calls his helpers to order and then turns to Celeste to ask her if she likes to look at the sky.  Celeste brags that she knows all the planets.  The specks of light laugh and Moon clarifies to her that she knows all the planets that orbit one star, the Sun, but that there are many, many more stars in the universe.

“And those stars also have planets?,” asks Celeste.  Exoplanets, corrects Moon, that is what we call the planets that orbit other stars.  Would you like to explore them?

With the aid of his helpers, Moon leads Celeste on a journey through the universe to discover what an exoplanet is and how it can be detected.  Together they observe rogue planets, oceanic worlds, and super-Earths.  Moon tells her about exoplanet hunters, astrophysicists who, from different points on the planet, observe the sky in search of a planet like Earth.

A new Earth!  Celeste is excited.  Out there, says Moon, there may be a star like our Sun, and orbiting around it, at the same distance as the Earth, a planet that has oceans, jungles, and – who knows? – civilizations.

Celeste is ready to go look for it right away, but Moon reminds her that she needs to get some rest first.  Before she falls asleep, Celeste asks Moon if he will come back to visit her again.

“Do you like whales?,” Moon asks the girl.  “I love them!,” responds Celeste, and she drops off to sleep.  Then we will see other again soon, promises Moon, before leaving with his helpers.

Cosmos Odyssey: Our Quest to Discover the Universe
2019
29

The scope of the universe as understood by humankind has expanded with the development of astronomy.

Starting from the mythological universe of ancient times, let us explore the Ptolemy’s geocentric theory, the heliocentric theory, the revolution brought by the invention of the telescope, spectrum analysis, and the latest technologies in today’s astronomical observatories.

A fulldome show for planetariums and digital dome theatres.

Lucia, The Secret of Shooting Stars
2018
31

Vladimir, a polar bear, and James, a penguin, travel into space aboard the Polaris to study polar auroras.

Hit by a meteorite, they crash at the foot of a pre-Columbian pyramid and meet Lucia, a hummingbird who is passionate about rocks.  She tells them about a legend evoking “stones of light.”

Meteorites, shooting stars, these “stones of light” intrigue them all.  In order to solve this enigma, they board for the Moon, then the asteroid belt, and finally land on a comet nucleus.  Who is having fun throwing stones from space?

Hypotheses, observations, and analyses will allow them to find answers to their questions back on Earth!

Kilimanjaro

Climb through 5 different ecological zones from tropical wildlife filled rain forest to arctic glaciers in this geological look at how Africa’s infamous mountain came to be.  Filmed in 8K.

Khrumka and the Magic Rocket
2019
33

In this delightful and charming show for children, Khrumka and his friend, Kippy, lean about space in their little school in the fairy tale forest and then, accompanied by their cute robot, Robik, go on an amazing journey through the Solar system in a magic rocket.

Genesis
2019
13, 7

“In the beginning, God, God created the heavens and the earth.  And the earth was empty and without order between darkness on the face of the abyss … and the spirit of God that remained above the waters said: Let there be light; And there was light.  And in that way, he separated the light from the darkness … In the light, he called it day, and the darkness he called night … “

This phrase that is extracted from the old testament of the Bible, belong that which relates the creation of the universe in the so-called first book Genesis – from the Christian Bible – serves as a conceptual basis for a free recreation of the structure of the universe, man and earth: It is an open and personal interpretation – free of religious or scientific character – to explore abstract concepts of the beginning of life and the universe.

Genesis is a real-time fulldome show for planetariums and digital dome theatres.

Music by Pina.

Voyager: The Never-Ending Journey
2018
27

The movie tells a thrilling story of the most remarkable space mission in human history.  In 1977 two space probes were launched to explore the farthest planets of the Solar system: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune along with their moons.  These spacecraft greatly enriched our knowledge of the distant worlds.

Now after four decades they explore the interstellar space.  Like two bottles launched into the cosmic ocean, both probes carry an interstellar message – the Golden Record, intended for any alien civilization.

The Factory
2019
10

Unique short film takes you in the middle of a giant steel plant in the middle of the night – the place you are very unlikely to visit in your real life.

The film is a tribute to Zoox, the urbex photographer and explorer.  A fulldome short-film for planetarium and digital dome theatre.

Birth of Planet Earth
2019
25

Birth of Planet Earth is a planetarium fulldome show that tells the twisted tale of our planet’s origins.

Scientists now believe that our galaxy is filled with solar systems, including up to a billion planets roughly the size of our own.

The film employs advanced, data-driven, cinematic-quality visualizations to explore some of the greatest questions in science today: How did Earth become a living planet in the wake of our solar system’s violent birth?  What does its history tell us about our chances of finding other worlds that are truly Earth-like?

Produced by Spitz Creative Media, NCSA’s Advanced Visualization Lab, Thomas Lucas Productions, Inc., in association with Tellus Science Museum.  This project has been made possible with support from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Greater Philadelphia Film Office; funded in part by the National Science Foundation.

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