Science Immersion Theater

The NRC’s Science Immersion Theater will be a high-tech presentation space that broadcasts live, satellite images from NOAA and NASA and other high definition productions. Visitors will get a 360° view of natural science phenomena happening to the Earth, such as the effects of rapid population growth, rising sea levels due to climate change, fires and hurricanes, all which all affect our water supplies. Located on the second floor of the NRC, this 3-D projection theater envelopes up to 60 visitors at a time using four computer-synchronized projectors from which wall-to-ceiling, high-definition, satellite images of terrestrial phenomena can be seen.

Satellite information will be presented on a five-foot diameter projection globe, called the Magic Planet, suspended from the center of the ceiling. This digital video globe allows visitors to circle the globe and view information in a captivating format, as global information is projected and easily updated. Footage from remote-sensing sources available for the globe can be combined with traditional video from a variety of sources on the surrounding walls. For example, the globe can project the changing nature of the North Carolina coast while the surrounding wall projection includes images of the coastal wetlands and flooding on the walls. Similarly, hurricane tracking on the globe can be reflected by storm footage, such as waves, wind and rain on the walls.

To supplement satellite imagery, the Museum will use the Science Immersion Theater to show educational video segments. For example, segments of the high-definition series on UNC-TV, Exploring North Carolina, which reaches into households across the state and five neighboring states, may be shown inside the Science Immersion Theater.