A student sent a camera into space to photograph the invisible energy of the Universe. This is what he captured

A student sent a camera into space to photograph the invisible energy of the Universe. This is what he captured

Experiment involved launching film negatives more than 121,000 feet into the stratosphere

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Tom Liggett's Helios II project sent a camera into space to capture cosmic radiation. The yellow bloom at the top is where a tree pierced the bag during descent. Credit: Tom Liggett
Tom Liggett's Helios II project sent a camera into space to capture cosmic radiation. The yellow bloom at the top is where a tree pierced the bag during descent. Credit: Tom Liggett

Jamie Middleton

A photography student at Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) in the UK has captured images of the very fabric of our Universe.

He created what is believed to be the first photographic artwork produced directly by cosmic radiation, after sending analogue film to the edge of space aboard high-altitude weather balloons.

More amazing photography

A view of the Southern Hemisphere sky, captured by Don Pettit on board the Space Station. Two fuzzy blobs at the top are the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. The denser population of stars bottom left is the Milky Way. Credit: NASA/Don Pettit
A view of the Southern Hemisphere sky, captured by Don Pettit on board the Space Station. Credit: NASA/Don Pettit

Third-year BA (Hons) Photography student Tom Liggett developed the project, known as HELIOS, to investigate whether the invisible energy of the Universe could be recorded on photographic film without the use of a camera or lens.

The experiment involved launching sealed film negatives more than 121,000 feet into the stratosphere, well above the atmospheric layers that normally shield Earth from high-energy particles and ultraviolet radiation.

Tom Liggett's Helios II project sent a camera into space to capture cosmic radiation. The yellow bloom at the top is where a tree pierced the bag during descent. Credit: Tom Liggett
Tom Liggett's Helios II project sent a camera into space to capture cosmic radiation. The yellow bloom at the top is where a tree pierced the bag during descent. Credit: Tom Liggett

The negatives were kept inside a lightproof dark bag throughout the flights, ensuring any marks appearing on the developed film resulted from direct interactions with cosmic radiation, UV-C light and other energetic particles.

For the latest launch, Liggett travelled to New York State and worked with specialists from Filmed In Space to design and recover a custom payload.

After the balloon burst at an altitude of more than 100,000 feet, the equipment landed around 50 miles away in neighbouring Connecticut, where the film was successfully retrieved.

Tom's photography set-up in space, high above the Earth. Credit: Tom Liggett
Tom's photography set-up in space, high above the Earth. Credit: Tom Liggett

The resulting images display colourful abstract patterns created by the interaction of radiation with the film emulsion.“

"Even if it was a completely blank image with a tiny alteration in the film, I would have been happy," Liggett says.

"But to get these celestial abstract results, which are forged from black holes and the sun's radiation... I was very shocked, but really happy. I’ve turned a dream into a reality and it feels surreal!"

Researchers and photographers have previously used film in space missions, but AUB says HELIOS is unique because the radiation itself forms the image rather than being treated as an unwanted artefact.

Liggett now hopes to send larger film formats deeper into space, expanding the project further.

See more of Tom's work at www.tomliggett.co.uk

Author avatar

Jamie Middleton

Commissioning Editor

Jamie Middleton is a seasoned science journalist and BBC Sky at Night Magazine's Commissioning Editor.
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