NOVA - MeerLICHT and BlackGEM

Mirage3D was given the opportunity to create the short fulldome show “Sterrenhemel Live” for the group NOVA – standing for ‘Nederlandse Onderzoekschool Voor Astronomie’, i.e., the ‘Netherlands Research School for Astronomy’. It is the alliance of the astronomical institutes of the universities of Amsterdam, Groningen, Leiden, and Nijmegen. With them, we explore various astronomical occurrences and philosophical questions. Then, the audience is introduced to two Dutch built telescopes, MeerLICHT and BlackGEM. The telescopes themselves are not located in The Netherlands but rather southern hemisphere desert like areas – where conditions are much better for space viewing due to it being high, dark and dry.

The audience is then educated on what MeerLICHT and BlackGEM are observing and we are taken on a magical visual journey of footage filmed by Mirage3D on location of these magnificent sites of scientific achievements. The unique shots we made are supplemented with various CG and stock footage to show case the wonder that the universe has to offer; hopefully to inspire the next generation of scientists and astronomers. We want to thank Johanna Holt and her team for all their hard work and are grateful to make such a meaningful piece in their educational journey.