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With only a few hours of sunlight a day at the moment, the warm golden solar rays feel like a distant memory. But artist Luke Jerram has invented a solution. His latest creation, ‘Helios’, is a scaled seven-metre sculpture of our sun and will be suspended in the Old Royal Naval College’s Painted Hall in Greenwich from January 25.
Normally staring at the sun is extremely ill-advised, but here you can get up close and personal with the it’s most intimate features, including its sunspots and filaments.
The installation has an approximate scale of 1:200 million, meaning one centimetre of the hanging sphere represents 200km of the sun’s surface - if you can get your head around that.
Jerram’s internally lit fiery globe is accompanied by a soundscape composed by acclaimed artists Duncan Speakman and Sarah Anderson, creating an immersive sensory experience.
Throwback to when the northern lights made a dramatic appearance last year, the installation allows you to inspect the solar activity that made it possible for Londoners to catch a glimpse of the phenomenon.
But hey, if just staring at a giant yellow ball doesn’t fully appeal, fear not. You can grab tickets to the ‘Helios’ silent disco which features ‘cosmic pop anthems and space-themed cocktails’; or if you’re scrambling for Valentine’s Day plans, there’s the offer of a romantic three-course dinner under the glowing orb.
Jerram has previously created immense scaled versions of the Earth, moon and Mars, which is still available to see in Greenwich for a few days. As the next stage of his own solar system he said: ‘[Helios] is designed to be thought-provoking and inspire awe. It is also a unique opportunity to discover the grandeur of this iconic Hall and the many celestial, mythological and historical themes it explores in its painted ceiling.’
Various different ticket packages are on offer, including ‘Social Media Mondays’ to get the perfect shot for your Insta story, and Thursday lates which let you see the Sun at night for the first time ever.
‘Helios’ opens at the Old Royal Naval College’s Painted Hall on January 25 and runs until March 25. Book your tickets here.
‘Mars’ is available to see at the Old Royal Naval College’s Painted Hall until January 20. Book your tickets here.
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