Experience the universe: NASA images share space exploration in Tri-Valley art exhibition, immersive attraction

The moon and stars come down to Earth — in the form of photographs and projections — at the Bankhead Theater for a new exhibit and immersive event by the Livermore Valley Arts this fall.

The collection of photos and infographics called “Back to the Moon and the Stars Beyond” combines space exploration history with modern astronomy for an educational journey through time in the venue’s art gallery, according to LVA.

The companion experience, “Cosmic Odyssey: Immersive Encounters with the Universe”, brings the images to life on stage via 360-degree projections.

Through the displays, one can “not only learn about the vast universe that surrounds us but also about ourselves as humans on this home we call Earth,” LVA officials said.

At the free exhibit, visitors can see large prints of the sun, the solar system and even a depiction of a black hole. They can also revisit the Apollo missions and humanity’s first time on the moon.

“More of our exhibits are based on an art-side of things,” LVA visual arts and education manager Anne Giancola said. “But outer space is so widely appealing to absolutely everybody and all ages. So it’s kind of fun to do something that’s a little bit outside of the realm of strictly art and present it as, ‘wow these images are beautiful. This is the universe we live in.'” 

Visitors can also visualize the future of space exploration through infographics about NASA’s Artemis II program, which aims to send people to the moon’s surface again.

“This exhibit is a celebration of both our historical achievements in space exploration and our ongoing quest to understand the universe,” LVA officials said. “It balances the beauty of the cosmos with the scientific ingenuity that allows us to explore it.”

A section of the exhibit is dedicated to international achievements in space exploration. It features India’s Chandrayaan missions, China’s Chang’e program, Japan’s space endeavors, South Korea’s recent lunar initiatives and Russia’s space contributions.

In addition to images of the great beyond, attendees can learn about astrophotography, including its use of false colors to display information that is invisible to human eyes. Visitors can also gain an understanding of how modern telescopes capture images in such high resolution.

In conjunction with the exhibit, the Bankhead is hosting a ticketed, immersive experience of the cosmos on select evenings. As an onstage event, attendees of “Cosmic Odyssey” will be surrounded by all-encompassing projections of the universe.

Narrated by American astrophysicist and former NASA astronaut Tamara “Tammy” Jernigan, attendees will be immersed in NASA’s photographs of distant galaxies, the birth of stars and our own planet. 

“I wanted people to get a sense of the vastness of the universe and how unique Earth is and how it’s just this fluke that we’re positioned in this spot close to the sun so that we can have liquid water that allows life to start,” Giancola said.

After the journey, attendees can join a 15-minute post-tour discussion led by scientists in the Founders Room at the Bankhead.

Opening last month, “Cosmic Odyssey” runs on select weekdays from 4-8 p.m. through Nov. 27 at the Bankhead in downtown Livermore. Showtimes for the event begin at the start of the hour. 

“Back to the Moon and the Stars Beyond” is free and open to ticketed patrons during performances and to the general public from 1-5 p.m., Thursdays through Sundays until Jan. 5 in the UNCLE Credit Union Art Gallery in the Bankhead.

For tickets to Cosmic Odyssey or more information, visit livermorearts.org.

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