Little, Big, and Far

Karl, an Austrian astronomer, professor, and museum consultant, finds himself at a crossroads in both life and work. At 70, his career is increasingly uncertain, and his physicist wife, Eleanor, seems to be growing distant. Adding to his struggles, Karl and his colleague Sarah grapple with environmental crises that are reshaping their fields.

Sarah, a specialist in “citizen science,” begins a relationship with Mateo, a young Ecuadorian astronomer. Together, they explore an old telescope in New Jersey, uncovering an astonishing discovery about the origin of the universe.

Meanwhile, Karl revisits the Rosetta Mission, which successfully landed a probe on a distant comet, as Eleanor reflects on her attempt to witness a total solar eclipse in the American South—a journey with unexpected political implications.

As Karl contemplates the historical milestones of astronomy, the uncertain future of his grandson, and his own role as a dark-sky advocate, he becomes increasingly untethered. His search for clarity leads him to a conference in Greece, where he makes a life-altering decision.

Instead of returning home, Karl heads to a small island in search of a sky dark enough to reconnect with the stars. On a remote mountain trail, abandoned and alone, he ascends to a peak, waiting for the night to fall and the cosmos to guide him forward.