Nature's Light Art
"The magnetic field around our earth helps to protect us from being hit by these high charged particles."
In this series we will take a look at all the types of light sources across human history and show how artists have used each light source to make beautiful light art throughout Amsterdam Light Festival’s twelve editions to date. In this article we will discuss light 'art' created by nature.
The Sun is so big and powerful that it not only shoots photons of light in all directions but other particles too, like electrons and protons. Huge explosions of energy in the Sun cause these particles to burst out in solar winds. Unlike photons of light, these highly charged particles take about four days to reach Earth.
Our magnetic field helps to protect us from being hit by these high charged particles, forcing the particles to follow Earth’s magnetic field lines and collide with gasses in the upper atmosphere. This collision causes light to be released in a very similar way to how a neon tube works (which we’ll look at later). Large solar winds produce the auroras (northern and southern lights). It’s more common to see the auroras at the north and south pole because that’s where Earth’s magnetic field lines converge towards Earth, sending the particles on a collision course with the gasses in the upper atmosphere.
Russian artists Aleksandra Stratimirovic created Northern Light for Edition 4 and 10. Stratimirovic likes to show her site-specific works in public spaces. In Sweden, where Stratimirovic live, but also abroad, her work can be admired on a regular basis.