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DETROIT (WXYZ) — The Michigan Science Center’s newly renovated planetarium is bringing visitors closer to space than ever before with cutting-edge technology and a unique Detroit twist.
Watch Evan Sery’s video report:
The multimillion-dollar, four-month renovation project was officially completed last month, transforming the planetarium into one of the most advanced facilities in the United States.
“The show was amazing, a lot of pretty colors,” said Mahala Robinson, who visited the planetarium with her mother.
The centerpiece of the renovation is the immersive show “Hyperspace: A Stellar Odyssey,” which can only be experienced inside the upgraded facility.
“We traveled throughout the galaxy,” said Tori Robinson, Mahala’s mother. “It was so cool, I know the kids really enjoyed it, interacting and answering questions.”
The planetarium now features 8K digital projection technology, a rarity among planetariums nationwide.
“Not many planetariums have 8K; there’s only a handful in the US,” said Paulette Epstein, the Science Center’s Director of Science and Theaters. “That’s like putting 6 4K televisions right next to you.”
Additional upgrades include a new dome called NanoSeam, which eliminates visible seams on screens, a new audio system, and inclined seating for optimal viewing.
“We’re definitely one of the most advanced planetariums in the US,” Epstein said.
What makes this planetarium uniquely Detroit is its incorporation of content created by local students. Through a program called Junior Navigators, Detroit middle school students designed their own planets, including one called Kito – half desert, half ocean.
“They were able to create their own exoplanet system, pick a star, what does that star do, how far would that planet need to be away from their star,” Epstein said. “We then took those planets they created and digitized them and put them here in the planetarium.”
This means visitors like Mahala get to travel to planets created by their peers.
“I didn’t know that at first, that’s really cool to know,” Mahala said.
The student planet project was made possible with support from a NASA grant. Epstein said watching the young creators see their own stars and planets light up the dome was an unforgettable moment.
“I think it’s really important for youth in Detroit to have a voice in what they’re seeing in the planetarium, what they’re doing and learning,” Epstein said. “Great opportunity for us to give them that voice.”
The renovated planetarium offers visitors an immersive experience that makes space feel tangible.
“It was very immersive, I couldn’t see the floor,” one visitor noted.
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