A unique 360-degree immersive artistic presentation displaying 10 weeks in the life of our Sun has won a prestigious national award for notable and outstanding contributions to space activities in the UK.
Called “SUN”, this distinctive light sculpture is a seven-metre sphere suspended above the ground that presents 3D-projected real astrophysical data of our nearest star. It was born out of a partnership between researchers at the University of Central Lancashire and artistic practitioners as a unique way to combine the worlds of art and science.
The installation, which has so far been viewed and enjoyed by upwards of 30,000 people across the UK and in Europe, won the 2023-24 Sir Arthur Clarke Award for Space Achievement in Education and Outreach.
Representatives from the team received the award at a dinner and awards ceremony at the British Interplanetary Society’s Reinventing Space Conference in London.
"SUN possesses a definite WOW-factor with its sheer size and scale. Those that have experienced the outreach in person have left overwhelming praise of the experience and what they have learned."
— Professor of Solar Physics Robert Walsh
Professor of Solar Physics at the University of Central Lancashire, Robert Walsh, is one of the leading SUN team members. He said: “I’m immensely proud for SUN to have won the Sir Arthur Clarke Award in recognition of the efforts the team has made to take a scientific installation of this calibre into communities and venues which are sometimes neglected.
“SUN possesses a definite WOW-factor with its sheer size and scale. Those that have experienced the outreach in person have left overwhelming praise of the experience and what they have learned. The physical manifestation of real astronomical data for an object that everyone is familiar is an inspirational, relatable, engaging vehicle, bringing the excitement of cutting-edge science to a significantly diverse range of audiences.”
Alex Rinsler, the artist who is part of the SUN Team added, “SUN surprises and challenges the general public’s perception of what is a star. It is wonderful that this special partnership has been acknowledged and highlighted with a Sir Arthur Clarke Award."
"SUN surprises and challenges the general public’s perception of what is a star. "
— Alex Rinsler, the artist who is part of the SUN Team
SUN displays ten weeks in the life of our closest star in 12.5 minutes of real time and is designed to be a spectacular cultural centrepiece at any event. The continually revolving imagery reveals the Sun in extreme ultraviolet, a part of the electromagnetic spectrum beyond human sight, with the ethereal atmosphere completed by an original soundscape. Cycling through different ranges of temperature from a cool 4,500 degrees to an impossibly hot 10 million degrees, SUN reveals our star in a completely new light.
In addition, complementary and inclusive activities include pull up stands, a British Sign Language video presentation, science and art workshops, public lectures, panel discussions, as well as astronomers interacting one-to-one with visitors as they experience the installation.
Learn more about the SUN project.
