Neil Fowler

Matthew Buckwalter

Amber Matzie

IMAX Theater:

Air and Space Museum Included

Over 800 million people have been to an IMAX Theatre across the world. Imagine being able to see a 3D movie that lets you think it is happening right before your eyes at an IMAX Theatre, and view exhibits in the Air and Space Museum. The IMAX Theatre was founded in 1967.  The IMAX Theatre Network currently consists of more than 250 IMAX affiliated theatres in thirty-six countries. Approximately sixty percent of the theatres are located in North America. Roughly fifty percent of the theatres are located in institutional venues, such as museums, planetariums, and maritime centers. More than 100 of these theatres are equipped with IMAX 3D technology. The Virginia Air and Space Museum and IMAX Theatre have interesting exhibits with a great chance to learn something new and watch entertaining movies.

The Virginia Air and Space Center was the birth place of the space program. Today it is a great place to take the family and have a fun filled adventure. The Air and Space Center contains exhibits on air planes, space craft and even weather forecasting. Dress up as an astronaut, fly in a simulator, or watch a 3D movie at the IMAX located right inside. After you have done everything you can, check back later, there is always something new to find and explore (General Information).

The Air and Space Center in Hampton, Virginia has many exhibits that let you learn about the air and space.  In the Adventures on Flight Gallery, they have a replica of a 1903 Wright Flyer which is the first centennial of flight in the nation.  It is made of twenty-one pounds from the original.  "The B-24 Simulator combines thrilling motion programming with incredible details of actual combat flights to give you a real sense of what B-24 crews experienced sixty years ago" (Adventures in Flight Gallery).  In the Air and Space Craft Center you can see and learn about the different types of air and space crafts.  A 1:48 scale model of the USS Ronald Regan allows you to see inside of the newest aircraft carrier and learn about life at sea.  "Discover how Ham Radio is exploring the next big steps in digital technology and its impact on personal communications in the next few years" (Ham Radio Exhibit).  In the Wild, Wild, Weather you can touch the funnel of a tornado and watch its shape change. You can do chromakey which is what weather broadcasters do to show the geography of where a storm is located without the map being behind them. You can also learn about hurricanes.  In the Space Gallery find out what you would look like as an astronaut when your face is projected into an astronaut's suit.  Look at a moon rock which was brought back by the Apollo 17 Mission in 1972, which helped scientist learn about the moon's geological makeup. You can also step on a scale and see how much you weigh on Earth, the moon and Mars. You can see what it takes to launch a rocket into space. Learn how hard it is to control a space shuttle and how difficult it is for an astronaut to land.

The IMAX is a thing of beauty. To watch a movie played on an eight story screen is awe inspiring to say the least. But the most magnificent thing is the clarity. It is surprising the clarity of an IMAX movie. When considering the size of normal movie film is 35mm. IMAX uses 70mm film but the picture is just as clean and crisp as another theater.  Then there is the sound system. All theaters have surround-sound systems in place. But most theaters are built long so some of the sound quality is lost. IMAX isn't built to house nearly as many people so everyone gets the best quality possible. This also leads to a better experience because the fewer the people the less the noise. The only real downside to the IMAX is the ticket cost. A normal movie cost eight dollars fifty cents for an adult, but the IMAX cost nearly ten dollars.

Aliens of the Deep, directed by James Cameron, is a beautiful documentary now playing in IMAX theaters. Since the move is 3D it feels like you are right there in the action. Before you enter the theater, you are given a pair of 3D glasses so you can receive the full experience of the movie. You enter the theater, find a seat, and then you are transported to a magical world where only IMAX could take you. Here you get to follow the adventures of various scientist as they take you to places that light can?t even reach. You get to visit a world that the average man or woman would never get to see during their lifetime. By following these scientists in their deep-sea submersibles we discover life that is alien to us. I used to think that life couldn?t exist without the sun. I was wrong. Over a mile underwater there is a thriving community of organism vying for life. Fields of microorganisms, shrimp and various other creatures are living off the heat put out by heat vents in the ocean floors. The chemical reaction produced by the heat vents feeds these organisms and replaces their need for the sun. The reason for these expeditions is to determine if life can exist on other planets. Water is essential to life. Where there is water there is the possibility of life. Europa is an ice moon that orbits Jupiter and is thought to possibly contain life and under its crust is thought to be a liquid ocean. By exploring our own oceans the scientists want to see how conditions may be on another planet. Aliens of the Deep was a very fun and educational movie that everyone could enjoy. It is an experience that should not be missed, so catch it while you can.

The Virginia Air and Space museum is a fascinating and fun place to visit. If you go to watch one of the films in IMAX or look at there amazing exhibits you will enjoy your-self. As their mission statement says, "The mission of the Virginia Air & Space Center is to preserve and interpret national achievements in air and space exploration and development and to stimulate interest in the sciences through entertaining interaction with educational exhibits, programs, and films" (General Information). So, go and have some fun and be educated too.

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