although every frame of the film was created using computer graphics, conventional artwork played an important role in developing the look and feel of the show. art director chris butler did extensive research to design props and sets that would allow the 3d animators to create historically authentic environments. the animators visited the dome of the telescope at mount wilson observatory to photograph the building before constructing it in maya (software) as it might have appeared in 1925, when edwin hubble worked there. "dixon insisted on authenticity; from the location of planets in the sky to the kind of feather in galileo's quill pen, everything was meticulously researched", according to executive producer ann hassett. animators studied photographs provided by galileo expert dava sobel to ensure that architectural details of the astronomer's house were modeled correctly.