Movie Review: Roving Mars at IMAX

"Roving Mars" is a forty minute Disney IMAX documentary that will help fuel your imagination and have you ask some important questions like, "Are we alone in the universe? Did life ever exist somewhere else in our solar system?" These are the kind of questions NASA scientists have been trying to answer for years.

Life as we know it is dependant on the existence of water. To prove that water is or was present on another world might give us a clue if that planet could have supported life. The planet with the closest environmental conditions to Earth in our solar system is Mars. Mars' environment doesn't appear to be able to support life, but did it? From the limited information we have about the planet, its surface appears to be cut with trenches suggesting that water may have once flowed on it. If there had once been water, the evidence would remain in the rocks. The only way to know for sure would be to have a geologist examine the rocks and look for the signs that water did exist.

Unfortunately, the rocks on Mars are not readily available to us here on Earth. The journey to collect the rocks we would like to examine would require a well planned seven month (each way) rocket ride to a place where we cannot survive nor even breathe the air. Since we are not ready to send a manned mission to Mars, NASA scientists found a way to send geologists that could work on the Martian surface. Their names are Spirit and Opportunity.

This documentary takes us through part of the evolution, testing and journey of the two Mars rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, designed to be our remote geologists. It will immerse you in the work of our NASA scientists as they prove out their dreams of discovery. It is a feast for the senses and stimulation for your brain. Told in non-technical terms, the ideas are easily absorbed and demonstrated to increase your fascination.

The IMAX experience will immerse you in the sights and sounds of the journey, first through the vacuum of space and then on the surface of Mars. Disney did a great job putting together the scientific facts collected from Mars by the two rovers together with artist's interpretations to create a visually stunning display. You feel like you were there on the surface with the rovers.

Take a journey of scientific discovery and wonder along with Disney and NASA as you begin "Roving Mars".
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