An Endeavor to Express and Experience Scientific Findings Through Art

The ALMA Telescope, constructed in Chile's Atacama Desert through the collaboration of 21 countries, is the largest and most powerful radio telescope ever built. It can capture radio waves from over 12.6 billion light-years away, challenging humanity's fundamental mysteries such as the birth of stars and galaxies, and the origin of life.

This marks the first initiative by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan to collaborate with creators in producing content that reinterprets ALMA's observational achievements from a different perspective, under the theme: "What happens when humanity's wisdom, embodied in ALMA's observational data, is expressed through the lens of art?"

a motion graphic from ©『ALMA MUSIC BOX: Melody of a Dying Star』
ALMA contents production project

The first installment, “ALMA MUSIC BOX: Melody of a Dying Star,” features producer Sali Hayashiguchi (Epiphany Works), creative directors Shinji Kawamura and Kanta Shimizu (both PARTY NY), and sound engineers Tatsuya Sawai and Nao Tokui (both Qosmo). In this piece, radio waves captured by the ALMA Telescope from the star R Sculptoris, a star nearing the end of its life approximately 950 light-years from Earth, are converted into audible sound. These sounds are then transformed into 70 discs, each representing a different frequency, and played on a music box.

Additionally, an installation artwork, featuring visuals derived from the data and synchronized with the music box's melody, will be presented at the “Design of the Activities” exhibition held at 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT.