'Astronomica'
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"Astronomica"— James Hood’s Immersive Journey into the Cosmos From the visionary creator of "Mesmerica" and "Beautifica" comes an all-new immersive dome experience, "Astronomica" - a breathtaking journey through the infinite beauty of the cosmos.
Award-winning composer James Hood together with WORLDS® and Vortex Immersion Media present a show which invites audiences to drift through auroras, dance among the stars, and explore worlds both cosmic and internal.
"Astronomica" was conceived to transport viewers into a 360° cinematic universe. With breathtaking visual art created by a global roster of artists, combined with Hood’s signature symphonic score, the show moves beyond conventional planetarium fare into a heightened sensory environment.
“From the vastness of space to the inner worlds within, 'Astronomica' invites you to ask: we all began as stardust - where will your story begin?” – James Hood
Drift through auroras, dance through the stars, and discover worlds beyond even the wildest of dreams realized by a global community of artists. The epic symphonic score and mind-bending visuals of "Astronomica" will carry participants through the universe and into the most sacred place of all — the worlds that lie within.
We all began as stardust — where will your story begin?
Highlights & Features
Immersive Format: Presented in full-dome projection, the audience is surrounded by 360° visuals and sound for a fully enveloping experience.
Original Score: James Hood crafts a rich sonic landscape — melding orchestral, electronic and ambient textures — to guide viewers through cosmic epochs and emotional states.
Global Artistic Vision: Featuring work from an international community of visual artists, "Astronomica" delivers evocative imagery of auroras, starfields, nebulae, unknown planets and abstract internal landscapes.
Family-Friendly & All Ages: Though visually and musically sophisticated, the experience is designed to be accessible and inspiring for audiences of all ages.
Rolling Out Worldwide: The show debuted recently in the US and will expand to new fulldome venues across 10 countries in the coming months. vorteximmersion.com
Why It Matters
"Astronomica" represents a significant evolution in immersive media — combining art, science and emotional storytelling in a dome environment. With James Hood’s track record for blending ambient-electronica worlds (as seen in his previous works "Mesmerica" and "Beautifica") and Vortex’s expertise in immersive production, "Astronomica" aims to redefine how audiences experience space, time and consciousness.
For venue operators and planetarium-theatres, "Astronomica" offers a premium content asset designed to drive ticket‐sales, extend dwell-time and enhance guest satisfaction. For viewers, it’s less a passive show than a journey of wonder, introspection and transcendence.
Event Supported By
Fleet Science Center
Fleet Science Center features more than 100 interactive science exhibits in eight galleries, as well as major traveling exhibitions. Visitors can create colored shadows, design images with a sand pendulum, examine the vibration of guitar strings and get their hands on a variety of intriguing scientific phenomena. The Fleet Science Center is also home to the world’s first IMAX Dome Theater, presenting the biggest films on the planet. Its unique configuration wraps the audience in images and provides the illusion of being suspended in space. In 2008, the Fleet completed phase one of a two-phase project, refurbishing the theater’s interior, upgrading the sound system and replacing the original screen with a new seamless screen. In February 2012, phase two was completed, adding a state-of-the-art digital projection system to the theater. The Eugene Heikoff and Marilyn Jacobs Heikoff Dome Theater now shows both IMAX films and digital shows on the NanoSeamTM screen, offering audiences an immersive viewing experience available nowhere else in Southern California. Heikoff Dome Theater show topics take audiences from outer space to under water and every place in between, and are generally suitable for all ages. San Diego’s only Giant Dome Theater also plays host to planetarium shows, including the monthly Sky Tonight show, which is led by an astronomer and followed by outdoor telescope viewing, courtesy of the San Diego Astronomy Association. The Fleet Science Center is open daily at 10 a.m. and is open in the evenings during summer and on weekends. We're open on holidays, too--check our site or call 619-238-1233 for holiday hours. Since our opening in 1973, the Fleet has been the best-attended museum in the city and a Top 10 attraction in San Diego. We are located in beautiful Balboa Park, home to many of the city’s museums, as well as attractive gardens, intriguing architecture and picturesque fountains.
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