Black Holes are some of the most mysterious and compelling objects in the Universe, and are always one of the most popular subjects for planetarium shows, drawing in audience curiosity and questions from adults and children alike.
But because of their complexity, presenting them in a way that is compelling, accurate, and meaningful to audiences has always presented unique challenges. When I first saw Black Holes: Unknown Horizons by Double Dome Films and Planetarium Madrid I was blown away by the incredible work put into this stunning new planetarium show. I am incredibly proud to be working with the Double Dome Films team to help make this show available to planetariums in the US and Canada through Tau Immersive.
Black Holes: Unknown Horizons is available to planetariums and dome thetears at up to 8K resolution and stunningly smooth 60fps playback.
Double Dome Films was founded by Juan Felipe Orozco, whom I first met during his time at the planetarium in Medellin, Colombia, where he was a user of the Uniview software package, and reached out to me for tips to unlock the production and visualization potential of the software. Felipe’s strengths in 3D animation and science visualization led him to pursue his dream of starting an independent production firm, and Double Dome Films has now produced several visually stunning shows–including Black Holes: Unknown Horizons.
Like many astronomy-enthusiast kids, I was intrigued by black holes from an early age. I remember in sixth grade doing a special report on black holes and neutron stars. But often I felt let down by how black holes were represented in media–too often I felt popular media missed the mark of the actual science around these objects.
As a teenager, I had one of my most memorable planetarium experiences in the Dorrance Planetarium at the Arizona Science Center in Phoenix, AZ. Attending their show on black holes–still assembled with film slides, three-beam CRT video projectors, and the classic Digistar II digital star projector–I saw a compelling live program on the mysteries and science behind black holes from an enthusiastic, tall, dark-haired presenter (I am pretty sure this was my first encounter with my future coworker, Ryan Wyatt), whom I peppered with questions after the program.
No other program, be it on TV or in a planetarium, ever topped the influence that planetarium show on my understanding for black holes, and over the years other depictions slowly eroded my enthusiasm for the topic.
Then at the 2024 International Planetarium Society Conference in Berlin, Felipe came up to me on the exhibit floor and asked if I would come attend Black Holes: Unknown Horizons. I try to never turn down a personal invitation and followed him into the exhibition dome at the center of the venue.
I was astonished.
Felipe’s incredible visualization and artistry was combined with accurate representation of the latest science about black holes. It renewed my own passion for the subject matter, and I admired how he meaningfully tied together the story of these cosmic wonders with a powerful quote from the departed physicist Stephen Hawking that reflects on our own experience as human beings sharing this world and this cosmos.
My first thought leaving the dome: more people need to see this show!
When I started Tau Immersive, Felipe was one of the many people I admired for striking out from institutional employment to start his own company serving the planetarium and immersive media market at large. Shortly after starting Tau Immersive, we crossed paths in Vienna, Austria when I was returning from a training workshop at the Ars Electronica Center in Linz and Felipe was en route to the Brno Fulldome Festival. We discussed our mutual admiration for each others’ work and the exciting potential to work together in the future.
Following that meeting, we decided to explore a partnership between Double Dome Films and Tau Immersive. As part of this partnership, Tau Immersive will be distributing Black Holes: Unknown Horizons and Life’s Question from Double Dome Films in the United States and Canada. I am excited to bring these films to conferences and film festivals to share the incredible work of the Double Dome Team with the planetarium community.
Black Holes: Unknown Horizons is available in resolutions up to 8K and 30 or 60fps playback for theaters of any size or resolution.
The first opportunity to catch Black Holes: Unknown Horizons in its entirety will be at the Great Lakes Planetarium Conference/Western Alliance Conference in Minneapolis, where it will be screening on Wednesday, October 8, 2025.
If you’ll be attending this conference, we hope to see you at the film screening! If not stay tuned for other future opportunities. If you’re interested in bringing this program to your theater or planetarium, reach out to us below. We look forward to bringing this incredible experience to your audiences!
