Made possible by groundbreaking data from Gaia
Led by renowned director of astro-visualisation Carter Emmart and narrated by Pedro Pascal, Encounters brings audiences on a stellar journey to experience our Milky Way galaxy, its history and future, and the dynamic changes underway. It exhibits how stars, galaxies, and our solar system are constantly moving, interacting, and evolving.
A stunning blend of artistic visualisation and cutting-edge space research, Encounters in the Milky Way is based on data from the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission, dubbed 'the billion-star survey' for mapping the precise positions and motions of nearly two billion stars in our galaxy since 2013.
This three-dimensional atlas enabled the production team to create vibrant yet incredibly scientifically accurate visualisations and simulations spanning billions of years.
Encounters in the Milky Way curator Jackie Faherty, who is also an associate curator in the Museum’s Department of Astrophysics, says: "It’s a once-in-a-generation time in astrophysics as we are mapping our galactic neighborhood and learning the dynamic history and future of our corner of the Milky Way.
"This Space Show highlights recent discoveries that have revolutionized our understanding of the solar system’s journey through the galaxy."
Visualising a scientific discovery and a galactic merger for the first time
During production, the team of Museum science visualisation artists and scientists made a surprising discovery.
New research, in collaboration with Southwest Research Institute, revealed that our solar system’s Oort cloud — a vast expanse of icy material left over from the birth of our Sun — displays a spiral structure.
Resembling a mini galaxy, this 'S' shape was a serendipitous find, the first of its kind during the production of a Hayden Planetarium Space Show that sparks new questions about our solar system.
In addition to tracing the paths of stars, comets, interstellar debris, and visually stunning gas and dust clouds, Encounters in the Milky Way also shows, for the first time, the dramatic merger of our galaxy with the smaller Sagittarius dwarf galaxy, using computer models simulating multiple close passes over billions of years.
©AMNH
Designed for reaching global audiences
Now playing at the Museum’s iconic Hayden Planetarium in New York, Encounters is available for licensing to planetariums worldwide, in multiple formats, languages, and resolutions.
Developed by a multidisciplinary team of astronomers, educators, visualisation specialists, and artists—with collaborators from more than 20 academic institutions worldwide—the show is designed for 8K and 4K fulldome systems.
Multi-language and accessible audio options ensure that it can be adapted for a wide range of digital planetarium platforms.
Webinar: Meet Encounters producer Vivian Trakinski
On 20 March at 1:30 pm EST, join AMNH’s Global Business Development team for a special conversation with Vivian Trakinski, producer of Encounters in the Milky Way and senior director of science visualisation at AMNH.
"It’s easy to forget that we’ve never been outside of our galaxy so have never seen an actual image of it. But scientists are creating a picture of the Milky Way by mapping it from the inside," says Trakinski.
Not just a two-dimensional picture, but a 3D model that evolves over time. The ingenuity involved in that is remarkable."
Get behind-the-scenes insights into the show’s production and the techniques developed by the Museum’s award-winning team of scientists and artists. Free and open to planetarium professionals and space fans alike. Register here.
Alvaro Keding / ©AMNH
Combining cutting-edge research with stunning visualisations, Encounters in the Milky Way offers audiences a front-row seat to spectacular moments in our solar system’s past (and future) that shape our place in the universe.
Contact Matt Heenan or your distributor for more information on licensing. To learn more, please click here.
AMNH recently exhibited at Teo's 2026 Touring Exhibitions Pavilion, held at Museum Connections in Paris from 13 to 15 January.
©AMNH
Alvaro Keding / ©AMNH
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