Fly over Pluto, cruise through Saturn’s rings, walk on Mars.

Experience a rocket launch from an astronaut’s seat and float around the International Space Station.

Head 6,000 years back in time to learn how and why the ancient Egyptians aligned their mammoth temples and pyramids with the sun and stars.

It’s all possible at Windward Community College’s Hokulani Imaginarium (Hokulani means “starry heavens”).

Joseph Ciotti, a professor of math, physics and astronomy at WCC, envisioned the multimedia science education facility and coined its name. “Imaginarium” underscores its ability to project on a 40-foot fulldome anything imaginable. With regard to the universe, think everything from close-ups of planets and nebula to panoramas of starlit skies.

Dedicated in October 2001, the Imaginarium also boasts digital surround-sound audio and a high-definition Sky-Skan Definiti 4K system that’s eight times sharper than high-definition television. Nine computers run two projectors that display visuals seamlessly and in rich colors.

“Unlike movie theaters, which are confined to a rectangular screen, fulldome technology enables high-resolution images, including video, to be shown on the entire dome surface,” said Dineene O’Connor, Imaginarium’s manager. “It’s an immersive 360-degree experience; the audience feels like they’re right there, landing on the moon, falling through a black hole or seeing the birth of a star.”

Eighty-four seats recline for comfortable lounge-style viewing of shows, one of which, “Voyages of the Starship Discovery,” invites viewers to take control of a spacecraft as pilot, engineer or scientist. Using buttons on their seats, they explore the Milky Way galaxy and learn about Earth’s place in it.

Available for school visits and private and public shows, the Imaginarium is part of the college’s Center for Aerospace Education, or CAE. Ciotti guided development of the center and has served as its director since it was established in 1986.

“The goal of the CAE is to interest students of all ages in science, technology, engineering and math,” O’Connor said. “It gives them an idea of the knowledge and high-tech skills required for careers in aerospace science.”

To that end, the center encompasses three other facilities. Two — Lanihuli Observatory and the NASA Flight Training Aerospace Education Lab — are primarily used by students in WCC’s aerospace science classes. The observatory houses a 16-inch optical telescope, a radio telescope for observing Jupiter and the sun, and a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather satellite tracking station. The NASA lab includes a simulator that enables students to “fly” a variety of aircraft, including a 747 jet and a space shuttle.

The third facility, the Aerospace Exploration Lab, is open to kids from preschool through grade 12. It’s a place to learn about astronomy, aviation, astronautics (rocketry) and atmospherology (weather and climate) through simple hands-on activities. The lab also houses a library of aerospace books, magazines, videos, posters and models. School field trips include time here as well as an Imaginarium show.

Public shows are scheduled all year except in July. One popular option is “Stargazing,” which Krissie Kellogg, education specialist and Imaginarium operator, presents monthly to introduce constellations visible in the night sky.

“We also offer special shows for Valentine’s Day, Halloween and Christmas,” O’Connor said. “In December, we’re debuting ‘Star of Bethlehem: The Magi’s Story,’ produced by Ciotti and narrated by veteran radio and TV broadcaster Billy V. It re-creates the night sky of 2,000 years ago and focuses on the star that guided the wise men to Bethlehem and baby Jesus. In terms of size, the Imaginarium may be intimate, but it offers endless opportunities for learning.”

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FALL SCHEDULE

Go to the website for show descriptions.

>> Aug. 3: “IBEX: Search for the Edge of the Solar System” (7 p.m.), “Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon” (8:15 p.m.)

>> Aug. 8: “Stargazing” (7 p.m.; repeats on second Wednesday of every month except July)

>> Aug. 25: “Magic Treehouse Space Mission” (1 p.m.), “Cowboy Astronomer” (2 p.m.)

>> Sept. 7: “Astronaut” (7 p.m.), “Dawn of the Space Age” (8:15 p.m.)

>> Sept. 22: “Perfect Little Planet” (1 p.m.), “Two Small Pieces of Glass” and “Flight Adventure” (double feature, 2 p.m.)

>> Oct. 5: “Ancient Skies” (7 p.m.), “Led Zeppelin” (8:15 p.m.)

>> Oct. 27: “Flying Monsters” and “Nitewalk” (double feature, 1 p.m.), “Tales of the Maya” and “Nitewalk” (double feature, 2 p.m.)

>> Nov. 2: “Stars of the Pharoahs” (7 p.m), “Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon” (8:15 p.m.)

>> Nov. 24: “One World, One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure” (1 p.m.), “Season of Light” (2 p.m.)

>> Dec. 7: “Dream to Fly” (7 p.m.), “Star of Bethlehem: The Magi’s Story” (8:15 p.m.)

>> Dec. 22: “Season of Light” (1 p.m.), “Kaluokahina” (2 p.m.) $5 holiday rate per show

>> Jan. 4: “Star of Bethlehem: The Magi’s Story” (7 p.m.), “Led Zeppelin” (8:15 p.m.)

>> Jan. 26: “Stars” (1 p.m.), “Origins of Life” and “Solar Quest” (double feature, 2 p.m.)

Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi is a Honolulu-based freelance writer whose travel features for the Star-Advertiser have won several Society of American Travel Writers awards.