You Can Stare Directly Into This Giant Floating Sun In London

You might think of the sun as eternal, but it’s only been around for over 4 billion years and is only expected to last another 5 billion years. Life, as they say, is fleeting. It’s these sorts of thoughts that Bristol-based artist Luke Jerram looks to inspire with his interstellar installations. Having already tackled the Earth, Moon and Mars, he’s turning our attention to the great sun god himself, Helios.

Named after the ancient Greek god of the sun, Helios offers a detailed view of our solar system’s star. This seven-metre sculpture combines solar imagery, light and sound to highlight the sun’s intricate details. It’s scaled so that each centimetre represents 2,000 kilometres of the real sun’s surface, and even includes rare features like sunspots.

Helios includes a specially created surround sound composition, including NASA recordings of the sunby Duncan Speakman and Sarah Anderson. Combined with solar imagery, the immersive experience invites visitors to reflect on the sun – which has inspired civilisation for centuries as a symbol of life, light and renewalalongside the forces that shape our planet.

Helios artist Luke Jerram said: “We all know that it is very dangerous to look directly at the sun, as it can damage our eyesight. Helios provides a safe opportunity for the public to get up close to, and inspect, its extraordinarily detailed surface including sunspots, spicules and filaments.

“I hope that the soundscape, lighting and sheer scale of Helios will combine to make an extraordinary and uplifting experience for the public and I cannot wait to see it showcased in some of the most wonderful locations around England, Wales and Northern Ireland.”

Where can I see Helios?

Helios was officially unveiled at Bath Assembly Rooms on Friday, January 10, and was free to visit over the weekend. You’ll next be able to experience Helios on January 18 and 19, and every day between January 30 to February 23. After that, the installation will embark on a UK tour of some of the country’s most breathtaking locations, including Fountains Abbey in North Yorkshire and Kedleston Hall in Derbyshire.

So that everyone can bask in the artwork, Helios will also be displayed at National Trust sites across the UK for free. This includes Coventry, at the medieval Charterhouse, and the Downham Estate in Lewisham. Plus, it will also be free to visit at Liverpool Cathedral from April 4 to May 9. If you’re happy to pay, however, you can catch the London premiere at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich (January 25 to March 25) for £16.50.

Further details about dates and locations will be revealed soon, but we know that Helios will be stopping here:

• Bath Assembly Rooms, Somerset (January 10 – February 23)
• Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, London (January 25 – March 25)
• Liverpool Cathedral, Liverpool (April 4 – May 9)
• Seaton Delaval Hall, Northumberland
• Ickworth Estate, Suffolk
• Dyffryn House and Gardens, Vale of Glamorgan
• Charterhouse, West Midlands
• Downham Estate, Lewisham, London
• Fountains Abbey, North Yorkshire
• Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire