Smithsonian Starstruck: Immersive space experience is making WA debut in Perth this month

Perth visitors will be able to journey through distant galaxies when an internationally acclaimed space experience opens this month.

Smithsonian Starstruck: An Immersive Experience will make its way to Northbridge Centre on Thursday, November 26, bringing the Smithsonian’s astronomical research to life through virtual reality and storytelling.

The 40-minute exhibition allows visitors to explore a 3-D environment by using wireless headsets, with friends and family appearing as digital avatars.

The experience starts at the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory in Arizona before taking attendees into deep space, drawing on observations from major telescopes including Hubble, James Webb and the Chandra X-ray Observatory.

Visitors will also be able to encounter the Pillars of Creation, a region where stars form; a simulation of the red supergiant Betelgeuse exploding as a supernova; and Sagittarius A*, the black hole at the centre of the Earth’s galaxy.

The exhibition will also show visitors how stars are made and die, how galaxies evolve, and where Earth’s solar system sits within the universe.

Randall Smith, Associate Director for Science at the Center for Astrophysics, Harvard & Smithsonian, said Starstruck offered a way to make complex astronomical ideas easier to grasp.

“This project demonstrates how immersive experiences can make complex scientific ideas more tangible and engaging,” he said.

Denise Elliott, acting president of Smithsonian Enterprises, said the project would introduce the institution’s research and storytelling to new people.

“By working closely with SAO and Fever, we’re extending Smithsonian science and storytelling into an immersive format that reaches new audiences,” she said.

The exhibition has been in cities throughout America, as well as London, Sao Paulo, Lisbon and Melbourne, and has been selected for awards.

The experience is recommended for people aged over 10, the waitlist is now open ahead of the ticket release.

The experience will also include captions, visual descriptions, wheelchair-optimised viewing, assistive listening devices, complimentary companion entry and monthly low-sensory days.