Week 9 - Space + Art

DESMA BLOG – WEEK 9
Space + Art

Space and art have always been closely tied together and this week’s discussions continued to support this concept.  Specifically, nanotechnology, robotics, biotechnology, and math are all connected to the study of space.  Human beings have been curious about space and what lies “out there” and beyond the earth for thousands of years.  In the early 1500s, Nicolaus Copernicus, an astronomer, used math to create his theory of the sun being in the center of the universe while the earth spun around the sun each day.  This was hugely important in the overall understanding of our heliocentric solar system.  Telescopes were invented in the 1700s.  In 1996, telescopes and nanotechnology played a key role in space exploration when molecules were detected and led to the discovery of buckyballs in a crater (Vesna).
Copernicus was an important figure in establishing the concept of a heliocentric solar system.  

Pop culture has fueled the imaginations of artists such as Chesley Bonestell as well as writers, filmmakers, and musicians.  These artists have led us to believe that space is not nearly as far away from the earth as we used to think.  Television series from the 1960s and 1970s including Lost in Space, The Jetsons, and Star Trek showed us what life might be like on other planets and galaxies.  Our endless fascination with space has been the focus of many major motion pictures for several decades.  From Matt Damon playing an astronaut struggling to survive on Mars in The Martian to NASA’s challenge of bringing astronauts home safely in Apollo 13, and the Alien movies about extraterrestrials, Hollywood continues to influence and glamorize our perception of space.
“Exploring Mars” by space artist, Chesley Bonestell  

Movie poster for The Martian (2015)
It is incredible to think how far we have come in the history of our space program since we placed the first man on the moon in 1969.  Today, we are getting closer and closer to sending tourists into space on Virgin Galactic’s space ships.  Our science fiction dreams are literally turning into reality!  I am looking forward to watching our advancements in space all while I comfortably keep my feet firmly planted on planet Earth.  
The United States places the first man on the moon on July 20, 1969.

Virgin Galactic's space plane gliding over the Mojave desert during a test flight.   

Sources

"Bonestell - Home." Bonestell - Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 June 2017. 

EamesOffice. "Powers of Ten™ (1977)." YouTube. YouTube, 26 Aug. 2010. Web. 01 June 2017. 

"The Martian (film)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 02 June 2017. Web. 02
June 2017. 

"NASA." NASA.gov. NASA, n.d. Web. 02 June 2017. 

"Nicolaus Copernicus." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 28 May 2017. Web. 02
June 2017. 

Sagan, Carl. "Carl Sagan - Pale Blue Dot." YouTube. YouTube, 02 Apr. 2007. Web. 02
June 2017. 

Vesna, Victoria.  Narr.  “Space + Art Lectures Part 1 – 6.”  N.p., . web. Mar. - May 2012

"Virgin Galactic Nears next Phase of Space Ship Two Test Program." SpaceNews.com.
N.p., 02 June 2017. Web. 03 June 2017.








Comments

  1. khillJune 6, 2017 at 9:59 PM

    I agree that it still seems surreal that space travel may become a reality in the near future. The rapid growth of technology and research development in the realm of space travel is truly remarkable, and I am very curious to see how it unfolds in the coming years. I wonder how accurate the depictions of living in space portrayed in the media will compare to the real thing!

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