The Digital Dome System takes the astronomical information of the Digital Galaxy and stores it on a Silicon Graphics® Onyx2™ InfiniteReality2™ visual workstation, one of the largest supercomputers ever dedicated to creating visual simulations and equivalent in power to those used by NASA or the largest military research laboratories. When the Digital Galaxy software is booted, the Hayden Planetarium's supercomputer generates a three dimensional map of the galaxy that is so realistic that the dome itself seems to disappear. Thirty times a second, the Onyx2 calculates the real location and visualizes the appearance of every star and nebula that is about to be seen by the audience. The Onyx2 has 28 central processing units and can store up to two terabytes (2,000 gigabytes) and simultaneously process 14 gigabytes of data — the equivalent power of about 200 desktop computers.

The Digital Dome's computer graphics are composited with the output of several other instruments, including the Zeiss Mark IX star projector and an Omniscan all-dome laser that provides images of superior color and brightness. The central platform, which holds the Zeiss projector, a "2PI" All-Sky slide projection system, and the Omniscan laser, can be lowered to create more space inside the theater. A state-of-the-art spatial sound system controls the direction of sounds, enhancing visitors' experiences of moving objects, and subwoofer speakers are wired into each seat giving a sense of vibration and "lift off" at the start of the presentation.