Narrated by physicist Professor Brian Cox, ‘Beyond the Milky Way’ takes participants on 360-degree tour of the site in the Western Australian Outback, where the incredible Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Telescope is being constructed – with over 130,000 individual radio antenna – before transporting them to the farthest reaches of our galaxy.
A landmark project involving scientists and engineers from around the globe the SKA Telescope is planned to be one of the most powerful ever built, acting as a virtual time-machine to allow us to see further back in time than ever before and break new ground in astronomical research. With its first showings at the Ri in July, when NASA is due to publish its much-anticipated report on the study of UFOs, ‘Beyond the Milky Way’ celebrates the SKA Telescope as humanity’s best-ever chance of discovering if there is other life out there.
And with a limited run of just four weeks this summer, the film’s UK and European premiere at the Ri is the only opportunity outside of Australia to experience White Spark’s technology at the forefront of new mass audience VR cinema productions.
Director of the Royal Institution, Katherine Mathieson, said: “As a place of world-shaping scientific exploration and discovery for over 200 years, we are delighted to be the first major venue outside of Australia to host ‘Beyond the Milky Way’.
“Our purpose is to connect scientists and the public and we have a reputation for finding innovative and imaginative ways to do it. Not only is this film about a historic and ground-breaking scientific endeavour, it also uses the very latest VR technology to engage adult and family audiences. We’re looking forward to a summer of immersive shared experiences of science at the Ri, that just aren’t possible anywhere else outside of Australia at the moment.”
Briege Whitehead from White Spark Pictures adds: “We are thrilled that ‘Beyond the Milky Way’s’ first major international run is taking place at such a famous and well-loved venue as the Royal Institution.
“If our experience in Australia is anything to go by, it will prove an excellent draw for people looking for a unique experience and will be a big hit with young and old alike who will get the opportunity to visit both the stunning remote outback and outer space without leaving London. And for venues like the Ri, it’s an exciting time to be at the forefront of new mass audience VR cinema experiences, especially as our distribution method is scalable, can be delivered quickly, with minimal set-up and investment.”
‘Beyond the Milky Way’ is a follow-up to the award-winning ‘The Antarctica Experience’, one of the most commercially successful VR productions of all time. The exclusive showing of ‘Beyond the Milky Way’ at the Ri begins on Monday 24 July and runs until Saturday 19 August.
We acknowledge the Wajarri Yamaji people as the Traditional Owners and native title holders of Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, the CSIRO Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory.