A tribute to Huntsville's scientific legacy in astrophysics is soon taking place, dubbed "Legacy of the Invisible." The event is celebrating the Rocket City’s newest art installation "No Straight Lines" by the artist Peter 'Float' Lucker, which inspired by the area’s scientists and engineers.
The commemoration is taking place Aug. 16 at 6:00 p.m. at the corner of Clinton Avenue and Washington Street. The celebration was rescheduled from July due to weather conditions.
According to a press release from Downtown Huntsville, Inc., the "No Straight Lines" artwork highlights the groundbreaking discoveries made possible by Huntsville scientists and engineers, inspired by the 2017 detection of merging neutron stars in galaxy NGC 4993.
The No Straight Lines art piece depicts a neutron star merger, a pivotal event in the evolution of scientific understanding of the universe. The event depicted in the artwork was discovered on Aug. 17, 2017.
The animation below from NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio recreates the phenomena. The rescheduled celebration will honor seven years of this groundbreaking discovery.
“We are excited to celebrate the incredible contributions of Huntsville’s scientific community through this new public artwork,” said Rob Buddo, President and CEO of DHI, in a press release. “We are delighted that, despite the weather necessitating a schedule change, the rescheduled event on Aug. 16 falls perfectly in time to celebrate the seven-year anniversary of the event that inspired the art.”
The “Legacy of the Invisible” program will feature remarks from NASA scientists and Arts Huntsville, offering insights into the artwork's inspiration and significance, according to a press release from Downtown Huntsville, Inc. Attendees will also have the opportunity to meet the Huntsville-based artist 'Float,' whose creativity brings science to life through his art.
Funding for "No Straight Lines" was generously provided by Jacobs Space Exploration Group. The project was managed by Arts Huntsville in collaboration with NASA Marshall Space Flight Center.
In conjunction with the artwork celebration, Downtown Huntsville, Inc. invites the community to join the Downtown Huntsville Art Walk, starting at 5:00 p.m., which is a free event offering live music, yard games, kid-friendly activities and a chance to explore offerings from over 50 local vendors in open entertainment districts.
