Discover the story of the Hubble Space Telescope’s near “death sentence” to cancel the last service mission and how the passion of scientists and citizens helped to set the path to save it. ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center will have a sneak preview showing of “Saving Hubble,” a new independent documentary film directed by David Gaynes, Friday, Sept. 7, at 7 p.m.
Discover the story of the Hubble Space Telescope’s near “death sentence” to cancel the last service mission and how the passion of scientists and citizens helped to set the path to save it. ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center will have a sneak preview showing of “Saving Hubble,” a new independent documentary film directed by David Gaynes, Friday, Sept. 7, at 7 p.m.
The filmmaker will be present for questions and answers after the presentation. We all have seen and been inspired by the images the Hubble Space Telescope has been sending back to earth the last decade. The film is a love letter to the machine that stands as humanity’s ambassador to the expanding universe.
“Saving Hubble” is also the story of ordinary people finding their voice in the grassroots movement that saved the Hubble Space Telescope from an untimely death. It examines NASA’s decision in 2004 to cancel the world’s most famous telescope, and introduces us to the people who united to save it. Many films have been made about what Hubble teaches humans about the universe.
This is the first time a film about Hubble has asked “What does this machine say about us?” David Gaynes is emerging as a unique voice in the world of independent documentary film. A layman in the field of astronomy, Gaynes was inspired to explore the public’s connection to space when he heard on the evening news that a necessary repair mission to the Hubble Space Telescope had been canceled. Gaynes’s first feature, “Keeper of the Kohn” (2005), is a portrait of Peter Kohn, a beloved autistic field manager for the Middlebury College lacrosse team. It won the Jury Prize for best documentary at the Vail Film Festival.
The forthcoming “Next Year In Jerusalem” tells the story of eight nursing home residents on a pilgrimage to Israel. Gaynes was the cinematographer for the award-winning documentary “All Me: The Life and Times of Winfred Rembert” (2011, Dir. Vivian Ducat). Tickets are $10, with discounts for members. Visit www.imiloahawaii.org, or call (808) 969-9703.