A new space dedicated to gravitational waves at Infini.to – Planetarium of Turin

On Saturday 8 March, Infini.to – Planetarium of Turin will inaugurate a new space dedicated to gravitational waves, created by Infini.to, in collaboration with the Scientific Partners of the Apriticielo Association (INAF, INFN and University of Turin) and the European Gravitational Observatory (EGO), which hosts the Virgo gravitational wave detector. The space helps visitors to explore about gravitational waves, space-time and the theory of General Relativity, using interactive exhibits, simulations and insights.

The renovation work has involved floor -3 of INFINI.TO, the section dedicated to cosmology, and includes three new installations created in collaboration with INFN, the Italian National Institute of Nuclear Physics and the European Gravitational Observatory (EGO). The first station allows visitors to simulate the production of gravitational waves that can then be detected thanks to an interactive interferometer model, built by INFN, which reproduces to scale the Virgo interferometer located in Cascina, near Pisa, inside EGO. The second station allows visitors to simulate the fusion of celestial bodies. The visitor can vary several parameters, such as the choice of objects to be simulated (black holes, neutron stars or planets), their position and initial velocity. Once these choices have been made, the simulation starts. Gravity makes the celestial bodies move and the cosmic ballet begins, while the intensity and shape of the gravitational wave signal is drawn in real time.

Another major news is the renovation of the space-time station, made completely interactive and immersive thanks to an installation developed with the contribution of INFN and EGO. It consists of a deformable net projected onto the walls of the exhibition space: the presence and movements of people passing by the station curves and alters the virtual surface. With their bodies, the public thus produces on the walls of the installation the effect that stars, supernovae and black holes have in the cosmos, curving the fabric of space-time.

The new spaces will be inaugurated on Saturday 8 March at 3.30 p.m. with a conference-show at Infini.to that combines the latest astronomical and scientific research with spectacular images from the digital planetarium. The protagonists, both members of the Virgo Scientific Collaboration, are Monica Colpi, University of Milan Bicocca – INAF, and Alessandro Nagar, Researcher at the National Institute of Nuclear Physics in Turin. This will be followed by a show in the Planetarium (“Planets, Stars and Galaxies”) and a free visit to the Museum and the new exhibition area. The event is free, if you have a MUSEUM+ ASTROTALK entrance ticket.

For more information: https://www.ticketlandia.com/m/event/museo-astrotalk-torino