Rays from distant space
Zettascope is an installation centered around a device that captures and renders the passage of cosmic rays.
These subatomic particles, discovered during the early 1910s, remain shrouded in scientific mystery. Because of their very high level of energy, they are expected to come from the most exotic objects in the universe: black holes, magnetars, neutron stars, and supernovas.
Constantly arriving on Earth like a subtle, invisible rain, they pass through our bodies and spaces, occasionally interacting with our DNA and electronic circuits. This phenomenon —its mystery, origins, and vastness— captivates me.
Here, a dedicated device render those rays' passage in a tangible and sensitive form.
When a ray from distant space passes through the Zettascope, its presence is detected using Geiger-Muller tubes and custom electronic circuits, triggering a sensory response. Luminous filaments flicker to life, and chimes from a set of tubular bells resound. With each detected ray, the device orchestrates an ever-evolving melody of light and sound, dynamically composed by this ephemeral cosmic rain.
Sensitive machine
Inspired by celestial globes and science instruments from the 19th century like Foucault's gyroscope (which demonstrated the Earth's rotation), the Zettascope is built out of solid walnut, brass, acrylic glass, Geiger-Muller detection tubes, and various custom electronic equipment.
The head of the Zettascope, motorized along two axes, slowly scans different regions of the sky in a continuous, meditative oscillation.
Adjacent to the device are three video screens. With every cosmic ray detection, these screens trace the ray's journey — from the Zettascope here on Earth to its distant origin across the cosmos, revealing a potential emission source.
Through this immersive experience, we are invited to contemplate, with awe and vertigo, the scale of this perpetual, unseen mystery — a ceaseless echo resonating from the depths of the universe.
