EditorSpectacular Sun sculpture Helios lights up Swansea Minster for Arts Weekend
Visitors to the city centre church can step inside the glowing seven‑metre sphere, which uses detailed NASA imagery and surround sound to bring the Sun’s surface to life.
Immersive artwork arrives in Swansea
The touring artwork, titled Helios, has been created by UK artist Luke Jerram, whose previous astronomical installations include Museum of the Moon and Gaia.
Measuring seven metres in diameter, the internally lit sculpture is covered with high‑resolution imagery of the Sun’s surface, compiled from more than 400,000 photographs by astrophotographer Dr Stuart Green and NASA observations, with guidance from solar scientist Professor Lucie Green of UCL.
Each centimetre of the artwork represents around 2,000km of the Sun’s surface, allowing visitors to safely examine features such as sunspots, spicules and filaments that are normally impossible to view with the naked eye.
The glowing surface of Helios dominates the Minster’s interior, inviting visitors to experience the Sun in a new light.A closer view of Helios reveals intricate solar textures, from sunspots to filaments, recreated in extraordinary detail inside Swansea Minster.Helios fills the nave of Swansea Minster, its glowing sphere framed by the church’s ornate vaulted roof.Images: Swansea MinsterSound, science and storytelling
The installation is accompanied by a specially created surround sound composition by Duncan Speakman and Sarah Anderson, blending music with live NASA recordings.
The sculpture also highlights the source of the solar flares that caused the Northern Lights to be visible across the UK in May 2024.
As it tours, Helios collects personal responses and stories, while also acting as a venue for events ranging from choral performances to science lectures and wellbeing workshops.
Ancient myths meet modern science
In Greek mythology, Helios was the god who personified the Sun, driving his chariot across the sky each day. Jerram’s artwork draws on that symbolism while connecting audiences with the latest solar science and the cultural importance of sunlight across religions and traditions.
The project has been co‑commissioned by the National Trust, Cork Midsummer Festival, Liverpool Cathedral, Old Royal Naval College and University College London.
Swansea Arts Weekend highlight
Swansea Arts Weekend runs on 11 and 12 October, with venues across the city hosting performances, exhibitions and workshops. The installation at Swansea Minster is free to view, offering a rare chance to experience the Sun’s scale and detail in the heart of the city centre.
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