Backyard Telescope

Year

2017-2018

Artist

Caralie Cedarleaf

University

Arizona State University

Major

Sculpture

Title

Backyard Telescope

Tags

Asteroid

Sculpture

Genre

Cast Iron/Acrylic

Category

physical 3D

Current Location

REPAIRS

Description

Backyard Telescope represents the accessibility of the asteroid (16) Psyche to scientists and non-scientists alike because of the Psyche Mission. Images and information collected during NASA-led missions are made available as part of the public domain, allowing amateur astronomers a chance to learn about space. This diorama returns to a childlike fascination with exploration and learning. The asteroid in the center is cast in iron, an element in Psyche’s composition. The laser cut Psyche spacecraft orbits the asteroid on a copper wire, referencing Arizona’s role in the mission. The star patterns are designed after sculptures of the goddess Psyche from the era of the asteroid’s discovery. The dichroic film – which was developed in the late 1950s by NASA and the Department of Defense to protect sensitive instruments from cosmic radiation and to shield astronauts’ vision from unfiltered sunlight – represents the decades of great scientists and engineers who have made and continue to make space exploration possible.

Artwork Link

https://psyche.asu.edu/gallery/backyard-telescope/