From the Science Museum of Virginia:

What:

The Science Museum of Virginia has created hundreds of short videos about a variety of topics over the years. For the first time, the Museum has produced a 30-minute-long feature film, called Cosmic Climate Cookbook, designed specifically for its 76-foot Dome screen.

When:

To debut Cosmic Climate Cookbook to the public, the Museum is offering free showings on Monday, April 2, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Each 30-minute screening will be followed by a short question-and-answer session run by a Museum astronomy expert. Although normally closed on Mondays during the school year, the Museum is open on April 2 so school-age guests have the entire week to enjoy exhibits, demonstrations and films while on spring break.

Who:

Guests who purchase Museum admission may reserve a seat in the Dome for the film screening at no charge. The Dome seats 250 people. Tickets are first come, first served and must be reserved in person.

Why:

Cosmic Climate Cookbook makes a comparison between Earth now, and Venus and Mars in the past, to show the huge impacts of seemingly small shifts in a planet’s atmosphere. The “cookbook” part of the title refers to the three basic ingredients needed for life to exist on a planet. These ingredients in the correct proportions create conditions that can support life but any changes to the recipe, such as an increase in heat-trapping gas concentrations in the air, can alter a planet’s long-term habitability.

Developed entirely by Museum staff, the immersive movie took more than a year to create. It presents data about a complex topic in an approachable and easy-to-understand visual format.

The Museum is debuting the film in April when sustainability and resiliency efforts are top-of-mind surrounding Earth Day. In addition, the Museum just completed a major overhaul of the Dome’s digital projection system. The recent enhancements offer new capabilities and provide more realistic views of the universe on the 28-million-pixel screen.

Cosmic Climate Cookbook is being added to the Museum’s regular Dome offerings starting April 3, and guests may purchase tickets daily to the 11 a.m. show.

How:

For more information about live Cosmic Expeditions astronomy presentations and giant screen movies presented in the Museum’s Dome, visit http://www.smv.org/dome.