“Encounters in the Milky Way” Brings Galactic Motion to Life at Hayden Planetarium
The American Museum of Natural History is set to unveil its latest planetarium show, “Encounters in the Milky Way,” on 9 June at the Hayden Planetarium. The production offers an immersive look at the journey of our solar system through the galaxy. Using advanced scientific data and vivid visualisations, the show highlights how these cosmic movements continue to shape our place in space.
At the heart of the presentation is a breakthrough discovery. While creating visuals for the show, researchers identified a previously unseen spiral structure within the Oort cloud. This distant region contains icy debris left over from the formation of the solar system.
Spiral Discovery in the Oort Cloud
Astrophysicist and show curator Jackie Faherty described the moment of discovery as groundbreaking. “We immediately saw something that we had never seen before—that no one had ever seen before,” she said. The spiral shape, she explained, is likely formed by the tidal forces of the Milky Way itself.
The simulation was created using real astronomical data, with contributions from planetary scientist David Nesvorny. This research has now been published in The Astrophysical Journal, marking a rare occasion where show production directly led to a scientific paper.
Faherty noted that the spiral “almost looks like a galaxy itself,” reinforcing how much remains to be discovered in our solar system’s outer reaches.
A Deep Connection to the Cosmos
Directed by Carter Emmart, director of astrovisualisation at the museum, the show aims to keep audiences engaged both emotionally and intellectually. It combines data, music, and narration to explore not just our solar system, but also our place within the larger Milky Way.
Emmart explained that the experience invites viewers to reflect on the passage of time and space. “You’re looking at light that’s arriving from different epochs and different periods,” he said. “That’s where it gets kind of spiritual—and that’s real.”
Narrated by actor Pedro Pascal, “Encounters in the Milky Way” is the seventh original production created for the Hayden Planetarium. It also coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Rose Center for Earth and Space.
with inputs from Reuters
