candacekimdesma9: Event 3: Hubble 3D at the California Science Center

The third event I went to was California Science Center to watch Hubble 3D (2010). Hubble 3D is a Canadian-American 2010 documentary film, which in short, is about the Hubble Space Telescope repair mission. The short film is directed by, produced by, written by, and edited by Toni Myers, also known for her other IMAX productions. Distributed by Warner Bros Pictures and IMAX Filmed Entertainment, Hubble 3D guides the audience through the 20 year life of the Hubble as well as the STS-125 servicing mission—also referred to as HST-SM4, which was the 5^th and final space shuttle servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope launched on May 11, 2009.

The short film is narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio in two parts: (1) the astronaut documentary aspect which features real-life footage filmed on board the Space Shuttle Atlantis on a mission to repair the telescope and (2) the astronomy movie aspect which features 3D rendering of some of the telescope’s photographs of the cosmos. The most mesmerizing quality of the film is the 3D visualizations of the actual Hubble data; not only do they give the audience the impression that they are actually traveling through space and time, but they also create a unique, artistic experience through all the mind-numbing cinematography. The amazing part of the entire experience is the realization that you reach towards the end that the movie makes us feel so small and microscopic (which is a huge understatement) in comparison to the rest of the vast, mysterious universe, but yet, still an incredibly integral part of all that it is. One thing that I was sad about was the depiction of the stars. Because of the nature of stars, they are too far away for the 3D photography to give us any true idea of their distance and relativity in space.

(This is a diagram of the Hubble Space Telescope)

The insert below is the description of Hubble 3D as posted on the film’s original website (www.hubble.imax.com)

“Experience the gripping story—full of hope, crushing disappointment, dazzling ingenuity, bravery, and triumph in Hubble 3D, the seventh awe inspiring film from the award winning IMAX Space Team.

Through the power of IMAX 3D, Hubble 3D will enable movie-goers to journey through distant galaxies to explore the grandeur and mysteries of our celestial surroundings, and accompany spacewalking astronauts as they attempt the most difficult and important tasks in NASA’s history. The film will offer an inspiring and unique look into the Hubble Space Telescope’s legacy and highlight its profound impact on the way we view the universe and ourselves.”

And there is no other way to sum it up as concisely and descriptively as the description above. The short film is teeming with unbelievably beautiful sights that probe into the wonders of the universe. The Hubble Space Telescope’s advanced imaging allows us to go so far into the depths of space and shows us the size of the universe in the beauty that it holds. Although everything truly is beyond what we can comprehend, the film brings us close to understanding the out-of-the-world experience (literally).

As noted in LA Time’s review, “It’s a movie that not only puts you in space but lets you travel through it with speed and wonder that would make James T. Kirk go a little weak in the knees.”

The complete review by LA Times can be found here: http://articles.latimes.com/2010/mar/19/entertainment/la-et-hubble-review19-2010mar19

I wholeheartedly recommend this movie to anyone. I walked out of the theater sad that it was so short (roughly 45 minutes), but the content is truly unbelievable. If anything, at least watch the trailer!