Education Materials for New Planetarium Show Messengers of Time and Space

3 June 2025

NSF NOIRLab’s newly released fulldome planetarium show, Messengers of Time and Space, brings the combination of the International Gemini Observatory and NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory to the forefront of humanity’s quest to understand our ever-changing cosmos. This free-to-download, immersive planetarium show was made possible through an NSF grant, Gemini in the Era of Multi-Messenger Astronomy (GEMMA), which is aimed at advancing the leadership role of the International Gemini Observatory in the area of multi-messenger astronomy.

The planetarium show highlights how Gemini will work together with observatories that monitor the night sky for exciting astronomical events that change with time, like Rubin Observatory and LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory). Sometimes, light is not the only indicator of these short-term events. Audiences will learn how information can reach us through other messengers like cosmic rays, elusive particles called neutrinos, and even gravitational waves rippling through the Universe.

The show is available in 4K fulldome format and can be downloaded online. Other available materials include the trailer, movie poster, script, and educator guide. The educator guide features a variety of classroom activities that invite students to learn more about these cutting-edge facilities, time-domain events, and the exciting field of multi-messenger astronomy in greater depth. We encourage the community to produce their own translations and narrations. We welcome receiving copies of the translated scripts and audio files to share with the community.

To learn more, see the full press release.

Contacts

Josie Fenske
Jr. Public Information Officer
NSF NOIRLab
Email: josie.fenske@noirlab.edu

Justine Schaen
Education Specialist
NSF NOIRLab
Email: Justine.Schaen@noirlab.edu