Satellite Zodiac
Abstract
Since the majority of the world’s population now lives in cities, starry nights have become increasingly rare. However, our life is dominated by artificial heavenly bodies. In my installation I make satellite positions visible – the room becomes a planetarium, with satellites replacing stars. Laser pointers display the positions of satellites. Additionally, illustrative interpretation of the emerging (satellite-) constellations explain their meaning and reflect our technological contemporary mythology. The C64, iPod, Gameboy and Walkman are among zodiac symbols of satellite constellations.
Brief concept
Stars are decorations of the night sky. The contemporary cultural framework has always provided a way of
interpreting them. This pattern interpretation led to the so called modern (western) constellations.
The majority of which depict animals (Aries, Aquila, Taurus, Cancer, Leo, Scorpio, Pisces, Canis Major,
Canis Minor, and so forth), followed by Roman, Greek and Babylonian mythological characters (Andromeda,
Aquarius, Auriga, Hercules, Pegasus, Perseus, Orion, Virgo and others). The third biggest group of
constellations are man-made machines – pieces of technology like an the arrow (Sagitta), the triangle
(Triangulum), the balance (Libra) and the lyre (Lyra). But there are also more curious ones like a ships
keel (Carina), poop deck (Puppis) and its sails (Vela), an air pump (Antlia), a pair of compasses (Circinus),
a carpenter’s level (Norma), a mariner’s octant (Octans), and compass (Pyxis), a eyepiece graticule (Reticulum),
a telescope (Telescopium), a pendulum clock (Horologium), a microscope (Microscopium), a chemical furnace
(Fornax), a sculptors chisel (Caelum) and a painter’s easel (Pictor). Those constellations were given names
by the French theologian and scientist Nicolas Louis de Lacaille (1713-1763) during an astronomical expedition
to study the southern heavens at the Cape of Good Hope. When Lacaille looked up to the nightly firmament he saw
the high-tech equipment of artists, craftsmen, seafarer and scientists of his time. Like a Rorschach test he made
his sense of the patterns in the sky according to his conditioning. If the stars would miraculously rearranged
themselves one night – how would we name the new constellations? Wind generator, Pedelec and iPad?
Since a majority of the world’s population now lives in cities, starry nights have become increasingly
difficult to witness. One would probably have better chances with a tabloid horoscope in the big city.
Astrology claims to speak to us but our everyday life is dominated by artificial heavenly bodies. The
times have come to an end when stars meant guidance and orientation. Navigation and positioning is the
domain of man-made orbital vessels. Guidance systems from missiles to cars use satellites to triangulate
their positions. Weather forecasts are based on remote satellite imagery. Communication and television is
transmitted over satellite dishes. We know the size of the ozone hole just as well as Iranian nuclear sites
from a satellite’s perspective. Every day satellites play a part in the modern person’s life - yet for the
most part they stay invisible and their names and constellations remain obscure.
Satellites reflect sunlight to the earth rendering them visible to the eye just shortly after sunset, when their
orbital position is still in the sunlight. Just before dawn one can also see the orbiting machines in the heaves
above. Most satellites are registered and their orbits are published by government authorities. Some “secret” ones
are not, but a small group of amateurs hunt them down in their free-time, calculating the orbits by collecting
individual spottings from different times and points around the globe. Figuring out the orbital data makes prediction
possible for future passes and subsequently adjustments to the orbit. The enthusiasts exchange their findings through
the “See-Sat” e-mail list.
Satellite Zodiac is a taxonomy of satellite constellations to give satellites visibility and meaning. Satellites can
either stand still relative to our position or move on asynchronous paths with different speeds depending on their
orbital type. The constellations are therefore determined by time and location. They are ephemeral by nature, existing
only for fractions of a second. A theory of satellite constellations must allow for those special circumstances of
moving objects in different orbital planes.
Satellite Zodiac is an installation where motor controlled laser pointers display the current position of up to 12 moving
satellites in our field of view in real time plus the belt of geosynchronous satellites - the satellite milky way.
Just like in a planetarium where the star constellations can be displayed, illustrative interpretation of the emerging
(satellite-) constellations explain their meaning and reflect our technological contemporary mythology. The C64, iPod,
Gameboy, Polaroid and Walkman are among zodiac symbols of satellite constellations.
Hardware development by Elena Galitsch
Software development by Melchior Brislinger
Supported by the Thuringia Arts Council
Page updated: 2015-07-24