Boston Museum Premiers Black Holes

Black Holes: Space Warps & Time Twists, a new exhibit premiering at the Museum of Science, Boston June 21, will reveal what we know, don't know, and think we know about one of the world's greatest space mysteries. Produced by the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, the exhibit features interactive portions that were co-designed by teens.

Teams from the Youth Astronomy Apprenticeship Program at MIT and the Galaxy Explorers Black Hole Youth Media Team at the Chabot Space & Science Center in Oakland, CA collaborated to make Black Holes a tremendously interactive exhibit.

A black hole is one astronomical anomaly that is often discussed but rarely understood. Black holes are regions in space, sometimes only a few kilometers in size, with gravity so powerful that light cannot escape, and where time and space are warped in unimaginable ways. But if black holes don't emit light and can't physically be seen, how do scientists know anything about them? The exhibit will guide visitors on a journey to the edge of these strange phenomena to discover how the latest research is turning science fiction into fact, challenging our notions of space and time in the process.

Exhibit Walk-through

The exhibit is designed like a space mission; visitors are first briefed then sent out to search for evidence of real black holes in our universe. Through a number of stations, a visitor will observe the peculiar properties of black holes, their amazing journey from theory to fact, and some common—and entertaining—misconceptions. A variety of interactive components will give visitors an in-depth experience of how black holes behave, shape our universe, and influence our lives.

At the start of their journey, visitors will pick up a Black Holes Explorer's ID Card, which they can use throughout the exhibit to collect discoveries and generate a personalized website that only they can access. The website serves as part personal diary, part observer's log, and will include data recorded by the visitor, including their observations, conclusions, questions, notes, and photos they've captured of their group and their activities. Helping to guide the visitor through their explorations in the exhibit will be photos and videos of the Youth Team exhibit collaborators and a diverse team of scientists and engineers.

The final portion of the exhibit is truly an adventure for space travelers of all ages. Step into your immersive excursion pod and set your course for an extreme fantasy vacation to the supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy. The challenge: pilot your pod to an alien spacecraft wreck at the edge of the black hole and dive down to discover its hidden treasure—then live to tell about it. Prepare to be disoriented as the black hole distorts the once-familiar surrounding universe. Adventurous excursion activities will allow you to experience the black hole's spectacular effect on its environment, space and time. But keep an eye on the clock—you don't want to be left behind when your galactic cruise ship, the Singularity, departs. Unexpected emergencies could arise, prompting a fall into the black hole itself!

Black Holes: Space Warps & Time Twists is a production of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. The Black Holes exhibition is funded by a generous grant from the National Science Foundation with additional major support from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. -- www.mos.org

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