Author Archives: Jason Fletcher

NASA Grant – Jackson Hole Finalist – Boston Globe Article

Posted on by

NASA Grant: Planetarium Show

A while back we applied for a NASA grant and we’ve been patiently waiting to hear the results… And we are thrilled to announce that we have been selected! We are one of nine organizations chosen from 73 applications through a peer-reviewed process.

The two-year NASA grant will enable us to capture the excitement of the next generation’s moonshot — the human journey to Mars and back. We will create two educational experiences that will bring to life the engineering skills and team spirit fueling this historic pioneering endeavor. So stay tuned…

AS12-49-7278-webImage Source: NASA Project Apollo Archive

Continue reading →

Interviews at IMERSA 2016 – Recent Challenges

Posted on by

It’s been fascinating to see IMERSA evolve and mature over the last few years. And since things are moving so fast, I wanted to document the challenges being faced in the immersive community with a series of interviews.

Last year at IMERSA there were nervous murmurings of VR, but this year there is clear excitement. It’s particularly interesting to see fulldome producers realize that they already possess the tools, skills, and ultra high resolution workflows to create polished VR experiences.

Continue reading →

Utilities: Converting Timecode & Frames – Estimate Job Render Time on a Farm

Posted on by

All too often I need to precisely convert between timecode and frames. Or I’ll want a rough time estimate of a render job on the farm. Yet I needed a utility that could allow for intuitive interactivity, GUI creation, and be instantly editable. So I’m using a simple open source solution: Pure Data

Pure Data (aka Pd) is a realtime graphical programming environment which is mainly used in live music performances. But its realtime aspect makes it ideal for my needs. So with some careful planning I applied the math nodes to create tools which automate the conversion process. Basically I’ve created a calculator tailored for animators and filmmakers.

DOWNLOAD
collection of Pd patches

Instructions
— Requires Pure Data to be installed. (supports: Windows, Mac, Linux)
— It’s easy to use. Just click and drag on the number boxes to input your timecode or frames.

Continue reading →

Upcoming Special Events in the Planetarium

Posted on by


EinsteinsPlayground-ASlowerSpeedofLight
Image Source: A Slower Speed of Light

Einstein’s Playground

— February 11, 2016 /// 7:15pm
— Gerd Kortemeyer, PhD, associate professor of physics at Michigan State University

Have you ever wanted to experience the complete distortion of time and space as we know it? The Charles Hayden Planetarium has partnered with the MIT Game Lab to immerse you in a virtual special relativity playground where you’ll witness the laws of physics in a completely new way. Using the power of video games, we’ll turn Einstein’s most famous theory from an abstract concept into something you can encounter yourself right here at the Museum of Science. Experience the effects of movement, time, and space as you’ve never been able to before!

Continue reading →

Using Real Pluto Imagery – From Dream to Discovery: Inside NASA

Posted on by

In producing From Dream to Discovery: Inside NASA we made the exciting but perilous decision to include the New Horizons mission within our story. So we made an early bet that the mission would be a success…

As you well know, New Horizons has given us an amazing close-up look at Pluto. And so we are excited to announce that we have updated the show to include the latest real images of Pluto and Charon!

Blueprint to Blastoff: Free Engineering Materials for the Planetarium or Classroom

Posted on by

Talia-Bio-PhotoWe are offering 3 distinct educational modules, focusing on aspects of spacecraft engineering, to anyone with a planetarium or classroom who would like to use them. They supplement, but are independent of our newest show From Dream to Discovery: Inside NASA and are being shared free of charge.

This article was written by Talia Sepersky. She currently works as a planetarium educator at the Charles Hayden Planetarium, Museum of Science, Boston.

Continue reading →

DJ Spooky: The Hidden Code – Performing in the Dome

Posted on by

My love for live music in the dome is undeniable. The idea is simple but powerful: Allow the synthesis of live performance and astronomy visuals to create a uniquely awe-inspiring experience.

Having thrown a series of live music events, each with its own custom dome visuals, we now have a collection of 4k dome material. So when DJ Spooky approached us with the idea of partnering to create a live fulldome show, it felt like a natural match. And the premiere of the show is just a few weeks away.

Continue reading →