At the heart of the event will be the science-fiction film “Interstellar”, directed by Christopher Nolan. Selected scenes will be jointly analysed by world-class scientists, who will explain which elements of the film have a scientific basis and which represent the filmmakers’ artistic vision.
The event’s special guest will be Brian Schmidt, the 2011 Nobel Prize winner in Physics. He received the award jointly with Saul Perlmutter and Adam Riess for discovering that the Universe is expanding at an accelerating rate. Mansi Kasliwal, director of the Palomar Observatory in California, who studies cosmic explosions and gravitational waves, will also appear in Görlitz.
The meeting will be hosted by Cedric Engels, known as Doktor Whatson – a science communicator in the German-speaking internet whose YouTube channel is followed by more than 420,000 subscribers.
The event is aimed primarily at students interested in science, astronomy, space and new technologies. The organisers encourage active participation – attendees will be able to ask questions about the film, black holes, spacetime, contemporary astrophysics and the work of scientists. The meeting will also be an opportunity to discuss how modern science influences the development of our region and what opportunities it will create for young residents on both sides of the Lusatian Neisse. The event is free of charge.
Organisational information:
24 June 2026
Start: 3:30 p.m.; doors open at 2:30 p.m.
Filmpalast Görlitz, Auditorium 1
The language of the event will be English. Selected excerpts will be translated into German.
Participant registration is mandatory. Only registered persons are guaranteed admission. Registration is available at: www.deutscheszentrumastrophysik.de.