Semiconductor

03:02, BW, Stereo, GB, 2009
One of Semiconductor’s long-term fascinations is imagery of outer space; the artists have collaborated with NASA scientists on several occasions. Semiconductor’s previous work ‘Brilliant Noise’ looked into the sun; ‘Black Rain’ is a continuation of their use of NASA images, this time with raw scientific satellite data that has not yet been cleaned and processed for public consumption. ‘Black Rain’ uses images from the STEREO mission by NASA (2006-2008). Twin satellites were launched in order to track interplanetary space for solar wind. They also registered the 3D structure of so-called coronal mass ejections (CME’s): violent eruptions of matter from the sun which can be so powerful that they disrupt satellites or power grids on earth.