The art installation Helios, by British artist Luke Jerram, will be on show at the cathedral from Friday, January 30 to Sunday, March 1, accompanied by an extensive programme of events designed to “banish the January blues”.
The sculpture was created using 72dpi imagery of the Sun’s surface, made from some 400,000 photographs by astrophotographer Dr Stuart Green and additional NASA observations.
At a scale of around 1:200 million, each centimetre on the artwork represents 2,000 kilometres of the real Sun’s surface.
With guidance from solar scientist Professor Lucie Green, the project also incorporates imagery from the solar flares that triggered the spectacular Northern Lights visible across the UK in May 2024.
The illuminated Sun sculpture will be part of a packed schedule of events organised by the cathedral.
Visitors will get to view the installation using a standard annual pass, with children aged 11 and under entering for free with a paying adult.
Online bookings are encouraged by the cathedral, offering a saving of £1 per person.
Events to highlight the arrival of Helios will be held beneath the glowing artwork, starting with a folk concert by trio The Young’uns on Saturday, January 31.
These events will continue throughout February, featuring early morning pilates classes every Monday, and a late-night viewing of the installation on Tuesday, February 3.
Comedy science trio, Festival of the Spoken Nerd, will bring their show An Evening of Unnecessary Detail to the cathedral on Thursday, February 5, featuring guest appearances from Professors Jen Gupta and Lucie Green.
Music lovers will enjoy a special concert from Winchester Cathedral’s Boy Choristers and Lay Clerks on Saturday, February 7, followed by a Valentine’s performance from the London Community Gospel Choir.
Families can join the programme with You Are the Sun, an opera for babies and toddlers operating on Thursday, February 19 and Friday, February 20.
Adults can participate in an 18+ silent disco on Saturday, February 21.
A new “Sun, Moon, Stars, and More!” family trail, offering celestial-themed activities, will run throughout the installation period for children aged five to 11.
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