News/Research

Alum Trevor Paglen Disco Ball Launched from New Zealand

06 Feb, 2018

Alum Trevor Paglen Disco Ball Launched from New Zealand

Alum Trevor Paglen recently launched his art piece 'Humanity Star,' a highly reflective sphere, into orbit using a rocket all the way dow in New Zealand! Paglen's project was featured in an article in the BBC by Jonathan Amos.

From the article:

Akin to a giant "disco ball", the object should be visible to the naked eye as it sweeps across a twilight sky. It was lofted by American start-up Rocket Lab, whose Electron boosters operate from the North Island. The company said its "Humanity Star" was an attempt to create a shared experience for everyone on Planet Earth.

The Humanity Star is a geodesic sphere constructed from carbon fibre with 65 highly reflective panels.Circling the Earth every 90 minutes, it should be most visible in the darkened sky when the setting or rising sun shines up from below the horizon to catch the spinning ball's surface.

These are the same observing conditions that offer the best view of the International Space Station when it comes overhead.

Read the rest of the article here.