New CyberSphere show examines latest mission to Saturn

Release Date: 4/28/2004. Expired: 6/26/2004

With a NASA spacecraft on the verge of entering orbit around the planet Saturn, the CyberSphere Digital Theater at The Renaissance Center in Dickson debuts a new planetarium show about the planet, its mysterious rings and this new frontier of space exploration.

Ring World shows at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturdays in May and June in the CyberSphere, a four-story domed theater equipped with state-of-the-art starfield, laser and video technology. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for seniors and children under 13.

Nearly seven years after its launch, NASA’s Cassini/Huygens mission to Saturn and its largest moon, Titan, is expected to enter orbit around the ringed planet in July. Cassini will orbit around the Saturnian system for at least four years, gathering vital images and scientific information.

The mission takes its next big step on Dec. 24, 2004, when the Huygens probe will detach from Cassini and head for Titan, with an expected landing on Jan. 14, 2005.

Cassini is the first attempt to enter orbit around Saturn, the sixth planet in the solar system. Pioneer II flew by the planet in 1979, followed by Voyager I in 1980 and Voyager II in 1981. The current mission is an international cooperative, with NASA building the Cassini spacecraft and the European Space Agency building the Huygens probe.

Ring World tells the story of this daring space mission and the wonderful worlds it will explore. Ring World was produced by a team at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and written by Dr. Bill Gutsch, former head of the Hayden Planetarium.

Second in size only to Jupiter and 95 times the size of Earth, Saturn has nine major and numerous smaller satellites, of which Titan is the largest. The planet has two distinct rings, made of ice particles, separated by a gap of about 2,500 miles known as Cassini’s Division, named for Italian astronomer Gian Domenico Cassini. The Voyager missions showed that the gap also contains particles that form less distinct rings around the planet.

“We are on the doorstep of getting our closest look ever at Saturn and even going to the surface of Titan,” said Joe Wyatt, assistant director of the CyberSphere. “Ring World shows us not only our best views of Saturn from Pioneer and Voyager, but details the work that went into the Cassini project and what we hope to learn from it.”

In addition to the Saturday showings of Ring World, the CyberSphere presents three very different laser shows for May and June.

Laser Retro features some of the top techno pop music from the 1980s at 3 p.m. Music from groups like Tears for Fears, The Fixx, The Police, Duran Duran and INXS is enhanced with spectacular laser effects from the Omniscan laser projector.

The Fab Four takes over the dome at 8 p.m. with Laser Beatles. The show features favorites such as I Wanna Hold Your Hand, Twist and Shout, Help!, Yesterday, Magical Mystery Tour and more.

The CyberSphere rocks at 9 p.m. with The Metallica Laser Experience, featuring heavy metal favorites like For Whom the Bell Tolls, Unforgiven II and Enter Sandman, among others.

Tickets for laser shows are $6 for all seats.

For more information on programs in the CyberSphere, call The Renaissance Center at (615)740-5600.

The Renaissance Center is an arts and technology education and performing arts center at 855 Highway 46 South in Dickson, just 35 miles west of Nashville on Interstate 40 at exit 172.

Visit the CyberSphere page for more about Planetarium and Laser Shows or the Home - News page for current and archived press releases.