ACADEMIA

Planetarium show to debut Feb. 10 -- High-resolution scientific visualizations created at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) will illustrate spectacular cosmic wonders when the planetarium show Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity debuts on Feb. 10 at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. The show provides a groundbreaking, scientifically accurate perspective on black holes and presents the latest compelling evidence that black holes are real. In this visualization developed by NCSA, gravity draws together the gasses of the early universe. Eventually, these clouds grow dense enough and hot enough to ignite and become the first stars. Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity is funded by the National Science Foundation and NASA, and is produced by the Denver Museum of Nature & Science in association with the PBS science series, NOVA. NOVA will air a one-hour film about black holes in the fall of 2006 titled "Monster of the Milky Way." Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity takes viewers on a thrilling ride to the inside of a supermassive black hole. On the search for black holes across deep space, viewers encounter a range of phenomena visualized by NCSA, including a depiction of the beginning of the universe, the Big Bang, endless seas of dust and gas drawn together by gravity to form the first stars, the collision of two galaxies that cross paths in the vastness of space, and a virtual trip into the center of the Milky Way. Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity will run throughout 2006 at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. The visuals are adaptable for different types of planetarium domes, and Spitz, Inc., is distributing the show worldwide. For more information on the show, including show times, go to its Web site.