The Cosmic Dome

[Lourdes Horace]

Beating 1-Player Challenger Opponents now awards loot after defeating a challenger. Each dome has a specific set of prizes. Some challengers will even award exclusive items when defeating them in battle. You may also win a maximum of 50,000 NP per day in the Battledome.

This picture of the cosmic dome is the quickest, most graphic way I know of challenging some common assumptions about the Bible and how God reveals himself. It might be a good place to begin a hermeneutics course.

The Volcano, Cosmic Ashtray, or one of many other names, is a hidden gem, with an excellent approach. The dome itself is hollow with an island in the middle. Size is difficult to grasp from pictures. Imagine a pothole 25 m ( 83 ft. ) deep, maybe 30 m ( 99 ft. ) + across, with a 10 m ( 33 ft. ) tall island in the middle. The bottom filled with dunes. Wild! If you're adventurous, the bottom of the dome can be visited, but beginners beware, or you could end up stuck in the bottom!

Photographers will love both the approach and the dome itself. I'd highly recommend this outing to most, though it is brutally hot in the summer. Fall, spring, or winter (if roads are dry) would be the best times to visit.

From the lone cedar, follow the old road down a sandy hill about 10 minutes until it trends left away from the big sandstone cliff on your right. Leave the track and follow the base of the cliff about an hour until around the point. As you follow the cliff, it becomes lower, and the steep walls give way to gentle slickrock slabs. This section has amazing views into the Escalante River canyon area.

Once around the point, head south staying at the base of the low angle slickrock slabs, with a large dome on your left. A large dome will be in view to the south (and a little west). The Volcano is at the base of the larger dome on the east side. It should take 30-40 minutes from the point to the dome. You will likely notice the old road near the dome. It appears to be the closed road that used to approach from Red Breaks.

Optional Loop: Instead of returning the way you came, you can make a bit of a loop. To do this, climb the slabs north of the dome, and work your way down and up the semi-deep side canyon on the other side. If good route finding is used, it should stay 3rd class. Once across this side canyon, head a little north and cross another shallow canyon and a divide into a 3rd canyon. Once in the third canyon, head upstream to the top of the canyon and descend slickrock back to the base of the cliffs you followed on the approach. The area above is a slickrock paradise with many neat domes, rocks, and features. Highly recommended.

Explore the mighty great white shark and its role at the top of the oceanic food chain. This amazing giant film reveals the strength and beauty of these animals by looking through the eyes of those who have been touched by shark encounters: Mike Rutzen, South African shark expert, who swims with great whites in Shark Alley; Chris Lowe, who has been tagging juvenile great whites off the coast of Los Angeles and discovering more of their secret life; and two record-breaking freedivers, Frederic Buyle and William Winram, who tag great whites by simply holding their breath and swimming with the sharks.

Did a space rock six miles wide slam into the Earth 66 million years ago and wipe out 75% of all living species, including the dinos? Explore cosmic collisions and dinosaurs up close in this original MPM Planetarium production.

No Orion, no Big Dipper, nothing but a few lonely, far away stars and a few faint, ghostly patches of light. Most stars lie within the crowded boundaries of galaxies, travelling with their brothers and sisters in a vast galactic family. But some find themselves on their own, deep within voids between the galaxies. These are the cosmic castaways.

PLEASE NOTE: Access to the dome performance level is via a 53-step staircase. Mount Wilson Observatory is a mile high in elevation so the air is noticeably thinner. There is no ADA-compliant access. No children under 6.

This visualization is based on a scientific simulation of the growth of structure in the universe. The matter, dark matter, and dark energy in a region of the universe are followed from very early times of the universe through to the present day using the equations of gravity, hydrodynamics, and cosmology. The normal matter has been clipped to show only the densest regions, which are the galaxies, and is shown in white. The dark matter is shown in purple. The size of the simulation is a cube with a side length of 134 megaparsecs (437 million light-years).

This version was rendered for a planetarium dome format (hemisphere projection to polar coordinates). The preview shown here has been matted on black to a widescreen aspect ratio. The "Frame Set" files (see links on the right hand side of the page) are the standard square aspect ratio dome masters.

The simulation is periodic, and the camera flies through it several times. A skew angle is used to avoid showing the same structures on each fly through. The camera path (after accelerating to full speed) does repeat every 2000 frames. Hence, one can get an infinite loop by showing the frames 100 - 2099 over and over.

Dome Fest West 2024 invites you to embark on a captivating journey through the realms of immersive cinema, showcasing an unparalleled selection of 55 films and experiences over four spellbinding days. This year, we're raising the bar higher than ever before, bringing together the finest productions from world-renowned fulldome creators such as Julius Horsthuis, Peter Popp, Sebastien Gauthier, Rocco Helmchen, Jeremy Oury, Michael Strauss, and Sergey Prokofyev. Our festival stands as a beacon of innovation and excellence in the immersive media industry, setting new standards in production values and creative vision.

Dome Fest West is a unique film festival and nonprofit organization, dedicated to the innovative field of immersive media and fulldome films. It stands as the only such festival in the U.S., creating an exclusive platform for filmmakers, planetarium directors, and immersive media vendors to come together, network, and showcase their work.

Dive into an auditory and visual spectacle where music and art converge to create unparalleled immersive experiences. From the serene melodies of a Ukrainian lullaby to the cosmic dance of the Joffrey Ballet, each film in this block promises a unique journey through soundscapes and visionary realms. The festival's opening night program kicks off with a blend of music and visual art, featuring musical art films that explore the synergy between sound and sight. This block is sure to resonate with music lovers and art enthusiasts alike.

Embark on "Cosmic Frontiers," a captivating journey through space and time designed to enthrall both space enthusiasts and educational groups. From the challenging journey to Mars to the mysterious world of asteroids, this series reveals the wonders of our universe through stunning visuals and state-of-the-art science. Planetarium films transport viewers across the universe, exploring galaxies, stars, and planets in incredible detail. This is perfect for space enthusiasts, families, and educational groups with an interest in astronomy.

Storytelling in 360 Degrees is a pioneering panel at Dome Fest West 2024 that delves into the art and intricacy of crafting narratives within the immersive fulldome format. Moderated by JP from Hubblo, a key figure in fulldome film distribution, and featuring insights from Patrick Clark, the visionary Director of the CU Immersive Media Lab; Michael Saul, a celebrated screening artist; and a representative from SSIA, experts in fulldome content and systems integration. This session will explore the unique techniques and tools used by creators today, as well as challenges storytellers and filmmakers face in creating engaging narratives that fully utilize the 360-degree canvas, offering a comprehensive look into the future of immersive storytelling.

"Exploring the Unknown" takes viewers to the boundaries of scientific knowledge and technological achievement. Learn how scientists use DESI to map the cosmos and delve into the fascinating mysteries of black holes. This immersive experience showcases the wonders of space and science. The series features films that make complex concepts in space exploration accessible and engaging, perfect for tech enthusiasts and curious minds.

Dive into the evolving world of immersive entertainment with the "Interactive Fulldome Experiences" panel at Dome Fest West 2024. Taking place on Friday, this session brings together a distinguished group of pioneers in interactive fulldome technology and content creation. Moderated by Patrick Clark, Director of the CU Immersive Media Lab, and featuring insights from Pedro Zaz, a renowned Fulldome VJ, along with Karrie Berglund, Director of Education at Digitalis, and a representative from Kinetarium, leaders in interactive fulldome software and planetarium content, respectively. This panel will explore the cutting-edge use of direct audience participation in fulldome shows, discussing innovative techniques, technologies, and the bright future of immersive viewer engagement.

Join us at Dome Fest West 2024 for a groundbreaking keynote presentation titled "Creating the next Century of Fulldome Experiences" by the visionary artist and digital animator, Android Jones. Known for his breathtaking fulldome films and pioneering work in immersive media, Jones will take us through an inspiring journey that spans the evolution of fulldome media, highlighting his personal experiences, challenges, and triumphs. This presentation is set against the backdrop of our festival's creator focus, emphasizing innovation and the future of immersive cinema is in artists hands. Attendees will gain invaluable insights into the creation of fulldome content, from the conceptualization phase through to execution, underpinned by Jones' groundbreaking projects such as the Samskara fulldome film and MicroDose VR.

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