Cosmic Legends

Cosmic Legends is an interactive storytelling and immersive educational experience that reimagines how astronomy can be communicated through interaction. Designed as a large-scale touchscreen kiosk installation, the project explores how different cultures interpret the same star – Betelgeuse, through Navajo Indigenous traditions, Tupi, and Japanese celestial folklore.

Rather than presenting astronomy as static, data-driven information, Cosmic Legends introduces a narrative-first interaction model where touch, motion, voice, and cinematic visual transitions transform the night sky into a dynamic cultural experience. Each interaction reshapes the sky and reveals new perspectives, allowing users to experience how meaning itself changes across cultures.

Publicly showcased at Imagine RIT, the installation invited audiences to engage with perspectives of the night sky rarely represented in mainstream astronomy tools, creating a more immersive and emotionally resonant learning experience.