universe³ is a collaborative project with Professor J Richard Gott, Head of Astrophysics at Princeton University USA. The stars pierced in these boxes accurately map the visible sky as it surrounds the earth, gnomonically projected from sphere to cube. universe³ has been shown at The Dublin Art Fair, as well as recently at The Science Gallery Dublin. It will later this year tour to the Frank Gehry library in Princeton University as a part of the SPACE TRAVEL tour.
universe³
Gnomonic Projection: JR Gott
“The Universe in a Cardboard Box”
universe³ maquette
Ancient Korean Star Map
ben and oisin
universe³ maquette with light from inside
The first image here shows the star charts gnomically projected and drawn up by JR Gott. They are arranged in a "t" shaped pattern, which is an unfolded cube. The north circumpolar stars form the top of the cube, the south circumpolar stars form the bottom of the cube and the autumn, summer, spring, and winter stars form the four sides. The sizes of the stars reflect their brightness (the area of the star image is proportional to its brightness). The faint band is the Milky Way. Also shown is an ancient Korean Star Map, which, interestingly, takes the form of a cube. Though uncommon today, at the time this was seen as the most practical shape for a map of the universe.