Dr Ravindra Desai (Centre for Space Fusion and Astrophysics) was part of a team of scientists working with dance artists from The Place* to explore the connections between our sun and Earth in a series of short films.Link opens in a new window

Ravi was approached by Geraldine Cox (an artist in residence at Imperial College London), as they are both part of the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) Sun-Space-Art project.

In the video, Ravi looks at recent satellite imagery of the sun and it’s dark spots which vary over a period of eleven years. He explains that the sun has bright explosive regions which are then reflected through the dance. He also shows an experiment scattering iron filings on top of a magnet, as they create a shape by following the magnetic field lines this replicates the sun’s explosions.

Ravi says:

“The films are designed to encourage creativity and imagination by highlighting the cross-curricular links between art and science. They are run as part of the wider Sun-Space-Art project funded by STFC and which aims to ignite curiosity and develop creativity in school children.”

The videos are aimed at a wide age range including primary and secondary education.

*The Place is an innovative dance space and home to London Contemporary Dance School.