A unique fingertip painting is being launched into deep space by scientists for future beings looking for signs of Earth.
According to India Today, as the Euclid spacecraft departs earth in 2023 to explore the evolution of the dark Universe and make a 3D map of the Universe (with time as the third dimension), a unique signature will travel with it into deep space.
Tom Kitching, lead scientist of Euclid’s VIS instrument worries, “After Euclid’s lifetime, it will just be floating in space. What if future beings found Euclid? How would they know anything about the humanity of the people?”
Thus, scientists are sending a unique fingertip painting with the spacecraft. The painting representing human civilisation is a rendition of the Milky Way Galaxy, created by visual artist Lisa Pettibone and Euclid instrument scientist Tom Kitching. Over 250 scientists and engineers pooled in their talents to contribute to the piece of art.
Why send a Galaxy Painting?
Astronomers have said that Euclid will image the universe and galaxies within it, peaking at billions of galaxies out to 10 billion light-years to make a 3D map of the Universe, says India Today.
“Although Euclid has always been beautiful in concept and materials, it didn’t really say anything about the people involved and humanity as a whole. We asked ourselves whether we could do something artistic that would speak to people,” says Lisa. Scientists who worked on the project dipped their fingers in paint to help create the artwork.
“We wanted something authentic, not perfect, and not shaped too much. The result is a piece of art with a wonderful energy to it that captures all the energy of the people involved,” Lisa added.
The piece of art is engraved onto a plaque using lasers and affixed to Euclid. An excerpt of a short poem written by poet Simon Barraclough is also engraved along with it. The poem is etched in typewriter font and is arranged around the galaxy of fingerprints.
“It is adding an element of humanity to a dark, vast space, where, as far as we can see, there is no other intelligent life,” Lisa said.
