'Celestialism'
'Celestialism': An artistic experiment where creativity centers on the study and interpretation of celestial bodies. Beginning with the representation of a way of seeing that views the material world through the perspective of cosmic origins, exploring the deep connection between the universe and earthly existence.
After observations from Earth and direct studies on the planets themselves, the environment of the star convinced researchers of its suitability for creating a bio-satellite around the star NØVA III. The large number of exoplanets rich in resources suitable for maintaining the viability of the human body further supported this idea. Since the artistic approach to observation is thorough and open to unpredictable factors in new planetary environments, capsule residencies became an effective choice for the next phase of exoplanet exploration.
The 'Celestialism' art residency invites participants to explore uncharted territories of their imagination, treating the mind as both the studio and the medium.
The 'Celestialism' art residency invites participants to explore uncharted territories of their imagination, treating the mind as both the studio and the medium.
Shirvanshakh palace, Baku, AZ
NØVA III at Eşq-İ NUR
Nasimi Contemporary Art Festival 2025
A0 - 3 / 40.355510, 49.829617
A2 - 3 / 40.353069, 49.835654
A3 - 1 / 40.364840, 49.833160
A1 - 1 / 40.375472, 49.833412
AteshHub / 25.09 - 25.10.2025
ARTIM, Baku, AZ
NØVA III: Beginning
A0 - 3 / 40.355510, 49.829617
A0 - 1 / 40.375486, 49.833394
A0 - 2 / 40.355920, 49.830332
ARTIM Flux: Peripheral Expansion / 08.10.2019 - 29.11.2019
A0 - 1 / 40.375486, 49.833394
A0 - 2 / 40.355920, 49.830332
ARTIM Flux: Peripheral Expansion / 08.10.2019 - 29.11.2019
They say, "The macrocosm of the universe is mirrored in the microcosm of the mind" which can be applied to
"NØVA III", the immersive installation by Emin Mathers raising the question around the place of the human energy and its potential of materializing imagination in the macrocosm which can refer both to the whole universal system and the society. The photo installation creates an experience of high perception of limitless eternity.
Video link: Facebook
"NØVA III", the immersive installation by Emin Mathers raising the question around the place of the human energy and its potential of materializing imagination in the macrocosm which can refer both to the whole universal system and the society. The photo installation creates an experience of high perception of limitless eternity.
Video link: Facebook
NEWS from NØVA III / A0 - 3 / AYTAN
Third ‘Celestialism’ Cosmic Art Residency Launches to Magmatic Satellite AYTAN
13/08/25 17:10 +2 GMT
The pioneering cosmic art initiative 'Celestialism' has launched its third residency mission, marking a bold step in the exploration of extraterrestrial environments through artistic practice. This latest mission sent nanoartist Nargiz Asgarova to the outer satellite AYTAN, the fourth from the far end orbiting the exoplanet A0 – 3 — a moon-like body with extreme surface phenomena.
In an extraordinary journey
14/08/25 10:20 +2 GMT / Part 1
"AYTAN presents a striking harmony, reminiscent of Earth’s own surface — with rivers, lakes, seas, and vast oceansshaping its landscape. But here, this fluid world is not built on water, but rather on liquefied metals and minerals. Due to extreme temperatures of a different order, elements that are solid on Earth — such as iron, magnesium, and silicates— behave as liquids or gases on AYTAN. This inversion of matter creates a breathtaking environment where metallic rivers flow, vaporized minerals form cloud-like structures, and entire seas shimmer with thermal luminescence. It is a world defined by elemental fluidity, where nature’s architecture is governed by a unique cosmic logic — an otherworldly harmony sculpted by heat, charge, and movement." described Nargiz Asgerova.
Over the course of three weeks, Nargiz lived and created aboard a capsule satellite drifted above AYTAN, equipped with a full 360-degree panoramic viewport. From this vantage, she created a new photographic series — one that merges her refined nano-scale visual sensibility with the monumental phenomena of deep space.
17/08/25 12:33 +2 GMT / Part 2
Beyond its artistic value, Asgerova’s observations contribute important contextual data for scientists seeking to understand the interactions between AYTAN’s liquid surface and its atmospheric ionization. This dual-purpose mission reinforces Celestialism’s core philosophy: that artistic intuition and scientific investigation can evolve together to interpret the cosmos.
Following previous successful residencies on exoplanet A2 – 4 and the satellite TSOY, this third mission to AYTAN continues to expand the boundaries of extraterrestrial artistic exploration. The 'Celestialism' program remains committed to offering visionary artists the chance to reflect on, and shape, humanity’s evolving relationship with the universe. Slide Movie
In an extraordinary journey
14/08/25 10:20 +2 GMT / Part 1
"AYTAN presents a striking harmony, reminiscent of Earth’s own surface — with rivers, lakes, seas, and vast oceansshaping its landscape. But here, this fluid world is not built on water, but rather on liquefied metals and minerals. Due to extreme temperatures of a different order, elements that are solid on Earth — such as iron, magnesium, and silicates— behave as liquids or gases on AYTAN. This inversion of matter creates a breathtaking environment where metallic rivers flow, vaporized minerals form cloud-like structures, and entire seas shimmer with thermal luminescence. It is a world defined by elemental fluidity, where nature’s architecture is governed by a unique cosmic logic — an otherworldly harmony sculpted by heat, charge, and movement." described Nargiz Asgerova.
Over the course of three weeks, Nargiz lived and created aboard a capsule satellite drifted above AYTAN, equipped with a full 360-degree panoramic viewport. From this vantage, she created a new photographic series — one that merges her refined nano-scale visual sensibility with the monumental phenomena of deep space.
17/08/25 12:33 +2 GMT / Part 2
Beyond its artistic value, Asgerova’s observations contribute important contextual data for scientists seeking to understand the interactions between AYTAN’s liquid surface and its atmospheric ionization. This dual-purpose mission reinforces Celestialism’s core philosophy: that artistic intuition and scientific investigation can evolve together to interpret the cosmos.
Following previous successful residencies on exoplanet A2 – 4 and the satellite TSOY, this third mission to AYTAN continues to expand the boundaries of extraterrestrial artistic exploration. The 'Celestialism' program remains committed to offering visionary artists the chance to reflect on, and shape, humanity’s evolving relationship with the universe. Slide Movie
NEWS from NØVA III / A2 - 4
14/09/24 12:55 +4GMT / Tom Leighton Becomes a Participant in the First Art Residency on Exoplanet A2 - 4
For the first time in the history of space art, British artist and photographer Tom Leighton has embarked on an art residency beyond Earth — on the exoplanet A2 - 4. This planet, located in NØVA III star system, is known for its unique conditions reminiscent of Earth: a thin, warm atmosphere and a presumably crystalline surface. However, due to the high acidity of the environment, human presence on the exoplanet is only possible on a levitating capsule-
For the first time in the history of space art, British artist and photographer Tom Leighton has embarked on an art residency beyond Earth — on the exoplanet A2 - 4. This planet, located in NØVA III star system, is known for its unique conditions reminiscent of Earth: a thin, warm atmosphere and a presumably crystalline surface. However, due to the high acidity of the environment, human presence on the exoplanet is only possible on a levitating capsule-
platform equipped with a life support system, allowing Leighton to work for two Earth weeks.
One of Leighton’s main sources of inspiration will be the exoplanet’s ephemeral purple sunsets, created by the unique chemical composition of the atmosphere. Known for his bold photomontages and urban landscapes, Leighton will now turn his attention to interstellar landscapes, exploring the intersections of cosmic technology and nature in the context
of a new planet. This project promises to continue his tradition of creating worlds on the edge of utopia and dystopia, where cosmic technology both fascinates and threatens.
The results of his work on exoplanet A2 - 4 will be presented at an international exhibition, and critics anticipate that they may open new horizons in space art.
Hinterland by Tom Leighton
01/10/24 10:24 +4GMT / Tom Leighton Unveils His Photography Series "Hinterland," Created on Exoplanet A2 - 4
After completing his first cosmic art residency on exoplanet A2 - 4, Tom Leighton has presented his long-awaited photography series titled "Hinterland." This project is the result of two weeks spent on a levitating capsule-platform, from where he observed and captured truly alien landscapes. This series reflects the unique nature of A2 - 4 — a planet with a thin, warm atmosphere and a surface rich with rainbow-hued lakes and crystalline shores.
The photographs showcase fantastical landscapes in turquoise, lavender, and peach tones, with the series visually resembling a vivid dream, where natural forms appear so perfect that they seem artificial. Especially captivating are the ephemereal sunsets — due to the planet's atmospheric chemical composition, they are bathed in ultra violet hues, adding additional depth and surreal beauty to Leighton's works.
"Hinterland" continues Leighton’s conceptual explorations at the intersection of cosmic technology and nature, but in a new context — not the environments of Earth, but a distant exoplanet. The boundaries between reality and fantasy blur in these works, where the mysterious surfaces of lakes and unfamiliar mountain ranges, as if shaped by unexplored forces, evoke a sense of magical and simultaneously acidic beauty. The series invites us to reconsider the limits of possibility, leaving viewers both awed and thoughtful — as Leighton, in this alien world, reminds us of the fragility and grandeur of nature, even on a distant exoplanet.
All images © Tom Leighton.
After completing his first cosmic art residency on exoplanet A2 - 4, Tom Leighton has presented his long-awaited photography series titled "Hinterland." This project is the result of two weeks spent on a levitating capsule-platform, from where he observed and captured truly alien landscapes. This series reflects the unique nature of A2 - 4 — a planet with a thin, warm atmosphere and a surface rich with rainbow-hued lakes and crystalline shores.
The photographs showcase fantastical landscapes in turquoise, lavender, and peach tones, with the series visually resembling a vivid dream, where natural forms appear so perfect that they seem artificial. Especially captivating are the ephemereal sunsets — due to the planet's atmospheric chemical composition, they are bathed in ultra violet hues, adding additional depth and surreal beauty to Leighton's works.
"Hinterland" continues Leighton’s conceptual explorations at the intersection of cosmic technology and nature, but in a new context — not the environments of Earth, but a distant exoplanet. The boundaries between reality and fantasy blur in these works, where the mysterious surfaces of lakes and unfamiliar mountain ranges, as if shaped by unexplored forces, evoke a sense of magical and simultaneously acidic beauty. The series invites us to reconsider the limits of possibility, leaving viewers both awed and thoughtful — as Leighton, in this alien world, reminds us of the fragility and grandeur of nature, even on a distant exoplanet.
All images © Tom Leighton.
NEWS from NØVA III / A0 - 3 / TSOY
Artist Residency above the surface of the most distant satellite of A0 - 3, named TSOY in honor of the first human to enter the satellite's gravitational field.
19/09/24 08:49 +4 GMT
A new mission, has been launched to the fractal system A0 - 3, aimed at closely exploring its exosatellites. Today, the stellardrop localized at A0 - 3, marking the first capsule launch to the distant satellite Tsoy. After the previous successful quantum transfer to exoplanet A2 - 4, marking a significant step forward in cosmic art exploration, the next chapter of the ‘Celestialism’ capsule-residency program has commenced. This time, the residency features outstanding photography artist Katya Tsoy, whose unique aesthetic — defined by fluid lines and impeccable tonal vision prevailing on the exosatellite — earned her unanimous selection by the residency council.
Katya's capsule has been transferred to a visually and physically distinct region of the satellite, long regarded as a point of scientific interest. This area, with its unique landscape, is expected to further enrich her work, aligning perfectly with her renowned vision.
As the 'Celestialism' residency progresses, this cosmic initiative continues to redefine the boundaries of artistic practice, inviting a deeper fusion of visual art with extraterrestrial landscapes.
In an extraordinary journey
11/10/24 11:00 GMT / Part 1
Katya Tsoy has taken part in the latest edition of the ‘Celestialism’ cosmic art residency, spending time above the exosatellite named after her as a first explorer — TSOY, which orbits the distant exoplanet A0 – 3. Her time there, within a specially designed capsule on it’s close orbit, has led to groundbreaking artistic revelations.
Reflecting on her initial encounter, Kate remarked, “I had imagined the surface might visually resemble human skin, given the colors I observed in exosatellite’s photograph. But what truly surprised and impressed me was witnessing the landscape move like breathing flesh, even as I approached the satellite in my capsule.”
This phenomenon, explained by scientists, may result from various atmospheric and geological processes. A0 – 3’s gravitational pull likely exerts tidal forces on exosatellite’s atmosphere, producing compression waves that rise and fall, creating an illusion of slow breathing, synchronized with the satellite’s orbit. This effect, similar to Earth’s tides, could be intensified by satellite’s unique mineral composition.
Additionally, scientists have suggested that certain minerals on TSOY, such as silica and iron compounds, may undergo sublimation and condensation cycles, with temperature fluctuations contributing to the “breathing” effect. As the exosatellite’s surface heats and cools, gases are released from and absorbed into its porous rock structures, producing subtle pulses in the atmosphere. Furthermore, the silica deposits may be layered and interlocked like skin tissue, creating a surface texture that resembles human skin in both appearance and response to environmental changes.
Katya’s encounter on this cosmic body offers an unprecedented look at the interplay of celestial forces and mineral life, blending artistic vision with scientific curiosity. Her series, to be unveiled as part of “Celestialism” will invite audiences to experience the rhythm of TSOY’s “breath” through her lens, adding a new dimension to our understanding of exoplanetary satellites.
12/10/24 10:33 GMT / Part 2
New details were found based on the collected data on the visual properties of the landscape. The exosatellite TSOY features a surface of mica and hematite layers, giving it a striking, skin-like appearance. Mica reflective properties create a variable sheen across the landscape, while iron oxide deposits produce a patchy texture, similar to freckles. Long-term chemical weathering has further refined the mineral surface, lending it a shimmer akin to the natural luster of human skin. Katya's unique vision offers us a clear and aesthetically captivating glimpse into how distant worlds can feel so profoundly close to us. Slide movie.
Katya's capsule has been transferred to a visually and physically distinct region of the satellite, long regarded as a point of scientific interest. This area, with its unique landscape, is expected to further enrich her work, aligning perfectly with her renowned vision.
As the 'Celestialism' residency progresses, this cosmic initiative continues to redefine the boundaries of artistic practice, inviting a deeper fusion of visual art with extraterrestrial landscapes.
In an extraordinary journey
11/10/24 11:00 GMT / Part 1
Katya Tsoy has taken part in the latest edition of the ‘Celestialism’ cosmic art residency, spending time above the exosatellite named after her as a first explorer — TSOY, which orbits the distant exoplanet A0 – 3. Her time there, within a specially designed capsule on it’s close orbit, has led to groundbreaking artistic revelations.
Reflecting on her initial encounter, Kate remarked, “I had imagined the surface might visually resemble human skin, given the colors I observed in exosatellite’s photograph. But what truly surprised and impressed me was witnessing the landscape move like breathing flesh, even as I approached the satellite in my capsule.”
This phenomenon, explained by scientists, may result from various atmospheric and geological processes. A0 – 3’s gravitational pull likely exerts tidal forces on exosatellite’s atmosphere, producing compression waves that rise and fall, creating an illusion of slow breathing, synchronized with the satellite’s orbit. This effect, similar to Earth’s tides, could be intensified by satellite’s unique mineral composition.
Additionally, scientists have suggested that certain minerals on TSOY, such as silica and iron compounds, may undergo sublimation and condensation cycles, with temperature fluctuations contributing to the “breathing” effect. As the exosatellite’s surface heats and cools, gases are released from and absorbed into its porous rock structures, producing subtle pulses in the atmosphere. Furthermore, the silica deposits may be layered and interlocked like skin tissue, creating a surface texture that resembles human skin in both appearance and response to environmental changes.
Katya’s encounter on this cosmic body offers an unprecedented look at the interplay of celestial forces and mineral life, blending artistic vision with scientific curiosity. Her series, to be unveiled as part of “Celestialism” will invite audiences to experience the rhythm of TSOY’s “breath” through her lens, adding a new dimension to our understanding of exoplanetary satellites.
12/10/24 10:33 GMT / Part 2
New details were found based on the collected data on the visual properties of the landscape. The exosatellite TSOY features a surface of mica and hematite layers, giving it a striking, skin-like appearance. Mica reflective properties create a variable sheen across the landscape, while iron oxide deposits produce a patchy texture, similar to freckles. Long-term chemical weathering has further refined the mineral surface, lending it a shimmer akin to the natural luster of human skin. Katya's unique vision offers us a clear and aesthetically captivating glimpse into how distant worlds can feel so profoundly close to us. Slide movie.
NEWS from NØVA III / A0 - 3 / ANNA
10/09/25 13:23 +2 GMT
“The first truly striking moment from close orbit came after long contemplation of ANNA. For nearly three days I shot nothing, just scanning the landscape through the window as if blinking in rhythm with it. Then I noticed rare illuminations linking the surface with the lower atmosphere. At the instant I pressed the shutter, two columns of light appeared for the first time. I realized then that things would unfold in the best possible way — and that became the first frame of this cosmic photo-story.”
— wrote Emin on his X account.
13/09/25 08:19 +2 GMT
“The second shot I included was of an area "עץ החיים" (Etz ha-Chayim), whose color stood apart from the rest of the surface, forming a beautifully aesthetic shape. It looked almost like a symbol — as if this satellite had its own emblem. By chance, the reflection of A0 - 3 appeared in the opposite window, connecting two perspectives across both sides of the capsule.”
— Emin recounts, pointing to this photograph.
“The first truly striking moment from close orbit came after long contemplation of ANNA. For nearly three days I shot nothing, just scanning the landscape through the window as if blinking in rhythm with it. Then I noticed rare illuminations linking the surface with the lower atmosphere. At the instant I pressed the shutter, two columns of light appeared for the first time. I realized then that things would unfold in the best possible way — and that became the first frame of this cosmic photo-story.”
— wrote Emin on his X account.
13/09/25 08:19 +2 GMT
“The second shot I included was of an area "עץ החיים" (Etz ha-Chayim), whose color stood apart from the rest of the surface, forming a beautifully aesthetic shape. It looked almost like a symbol — as if this satellite had its own emblem. By chance, the reflection of A0 - 3 appeared in the opposite window, connecting two perspectives across both sides of the capsule.”
— Emin recounts, pointing to this photograph.
13/09/25 13:13 +2 GMT
“Descending into the atmosphere, I noticed how at that altitude the atmospheric layer and the surface diverged symmetrically, as if forming a boundary. As I drew closer to the ground, these illuminations became more frequent. Comparing the capsule’s speed to the satellite’s, I realized the clouds above me were moving at an incredibly high velocity — at first they seemed like a uniform mass.”
— he writes.
14/09/25 19:52 +2 GMT
“In this frame I captured the realization that if one focuses not on ANNA’s landscape, but on the light of these luminous columns themselves, they break apart into the full spectrum of color. It was a truly electrifying moment.”
— Mathers shares with genuine awe.
“Descending into the atmosphere, I noticed how at that altitude the atmospheric layer and the surface diverged symmetrically, as if forming a boundary. As I drew closer to the ground, these illuminations became more frequent. Comparing the capsule’s speed to the satellite’s, I realized the clouds above me were moving at an incredibly high velocity — at first they seemed like a uniform mass.”
— he writes.
14/09/25 19:52 +2 GMT
“In this frame I captured the realization that if one focuses not on ANNA’s landscape, but on the light of these luminous columns themselves, they break apart into the full spectrum of color. It was a truly electrifying moment.”
— Mathers shares with genuine awe.
/10/25 XX:XX +2 GMT
Last and First Men
This series created in gratitude to William Olaf Stapledon and Jóhann Gunnar Jóhannsson for the story and move based on it "Last and First Men: A Story of the Near and Far Future"
'Cosmic Eye'
When humans fixing eyes on a star for a long time, we see a perspective. In a sufficient duration, we are able to trace the entire path from the star to the retina in the form of a light perspective. This means in this way we can literally focus on any moment of time on an interstellar scale.
'Fifth Man'
'Last, 18th Man'
🟢 “I address you from the future, two thousand million years hence. Astronomers have made the astonishing discovery confirming the imminent end of humankind. We can help you — but we need your help in return.”
'UltraSencivity'
Have you noticed that humans feel when eyes on them? This comes from the fact that we subconsciously notice in the eyes of the watched a new, small bright source of light that has appeared in our field of vision. Even with stronger sensitivity, human can notice a glance outside the field of view, sensing the weak infrared spectrum on the skin.
'Illuminant'
In ancient times, it was claimed that vision occurs due to subtle streams of light emanating from the eye and colliding with objects in the external world. And this is the case. When a light source is reflected on the tear lining of the eye, it itself becomes a source. This can be seen with a long exposure to the most light-sensitive matter in the universe known to man - the retina. Everyone is familiar with the image of the sun or other bright source, which is visible for several tens of seconds with your eyes closed. And so, if you observe the world in the subtle streams of this light emanating from the reflection on the eye, you can see the world that was described and prominent in ancient Greece. It was notably supported by the philosopher Empedocles (c. 490–430 BC) and later by Euclid (c. 300 BC). Оur modern understanding of vision, which was first proposed by the ancient Roman physician and philosopher Galen (c. 129–c. 200 AD) who presented it as a competing theory rather than an in-depth one. By combining these two theories we get a vision with more dimensions.
'Black hole'
Drifting in photonsphere before diving into the event horizon. The behavior of light near a black hole is a manifestation of its wave-particle duality. Photons, as quanta of light, follow specific trajectories under the influence of gravity, as if they were particles. However, light simultaneously retains its wave-like properties, such as interference and diffraction. Therefore, in the photon sphere, light behaves both as a particle and a wave, reflecting its dual nature as described by quantum mechanics.
How clear super brightness and cosmic scale of a photonspere can illuminate the dark matter surrounding it? How different do point light (star) and ring light (black hole) illuminate interstellar space and the dark matter in it? Are dark matter fibers illuminated at these scales?
Drifting in photonsphere before diving into the event horizon. The behavior of light near a black hole is a manifestation of its wave-particle duality. Photons, as quanta of light, follow specific trajectories under the influence of gravity, as if they were particles. However, light simultaneously retains its wave-like properties, such as interference and diffraction. Therefore, in the photon sphere, light behaves both as a particle and a wave, reflecting its dual nature as described by quantum mechanics.
How clear super brightness and cosmic scale of a photonspere can illuminate the dark matter surrounding it? How different do point light (star) and ring light (black hole) illuminate interstellar space and the dark matter in it? Are dark matter fibers illuminated at these scales?
'Through the Looking Glass'
"If we follow the path of passing photons, a world of imagination unfolds before us."
This diptych invites viewers to embark on a journey into the unseen dimension that lie just behind the surface of reality. The work captures fleeting moments of light as it dances and refracts, offering a glimpse into a realm that exists between perception and imagination.
Light becomes both the subject and the medium, visualizing the bridge between the physical world and the limitless possibilities of human mind. Each image in the diptych represents a different phase of this interaction — one tethered to tangible reality and the other dissolving into abstraction. Together, they illustrate how photons, those tiny carriers of light, act as portals, inviting us to imagine what lies beyond their fleeting trajectory. The viewer is encouraged to pause and contemplate the delicate interplay of negative and positive, and in doing so, to uncover their own connection to the unseen quantum perspective shaping our perception of reality.
"If we follow the path of passing photons, a world of imagination unfolds before us."
This diptych invites viewers to embark on a journey into the unseen dimension that lie just behind the surface of reality. The work captures fleeting moments of light as it dances and refracts, offering a glimpse into a realm that exists between perception and imagination.
Light becomes both the subject and the medium, visualizing the bridge between the physical world and the limitless possibilities of human mind. Each image in the diptych represents a different phase of this interaction — one tethered to tangible reality and the other dissolving into abstraction. Together, they illustrate how photons, those tiny carriers of light, act as portals, inviting us to imagine what lies beyond their fleeting trajectory. The viewer is encouraged to pause and contemplate the delicate interplay of negative and positive, and in doing so, to uncover their own connection to the unseen quantum perspective shaping our perception of reality.
NOBILE CRATER, LUNAR SOUTH POLE, MOON
LUNAR CODEX: POLARIS
A0 - 1 / 40.375486, 49.833394
A0 - 3 / 40.355510, 49.829617
A1 - 1 / 40.375472, 49.833412
A2 - 1 / 40.413167, 49.841611
A2 - 2 / 40.346423, 49.961000
Snap Collective, LUNAR CODEX, NASA, F37 / XX.12.2025
A0 - 3 / 40.355510, 49.829617
A1 - 1 / 40.375472, 49.833412
A2 - 1 / 40.413167, 49.841611
A2 - 2 / 40.346423, 49.961000
Snap Collective, LUNAR CODEX, NASA, F37 / XX.12.2025
The U.S.'s National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has a plan, the Artemis Program, to land humans back on the Moon in 2026, for the first time in over 50 years.
In parallel with the Artemis program, NASA will send scientific instruments to the Moon, over 2023 to 2026. Along with NASA instruments, these missions will carry commercial payloads, including the time capsules that make up The Lunar Codex. All are curated in by professional editors, anthologists, publishers, art curators, and gallerists.
All in all, the Lunar Codex comprises six time capsules, each launched by a different mission. These archival missions of the Lunar Codex are part of the most significant placement of contemporary arts on the Moon in over fifty years.
At its essence, the Lunar Codex is a set of time capsules, a message-in-a-bottle to future generations.
"Our hope is that future travelers who find these time capsules will discover some of the richness of our world today... It speaks to the idea that, despite wars and pandemics and climate upheaval, humankind found time to dream, time to create art.” - Samuel Peralta
NØVA III will be on the last mission called CODEX POLARS via Spacex Falcon Heavy, launching in December 2025
Codex Polaris is our payload associated with an Astrobotic Griffin mission carrying NASA's VIPER rover, targeting the Nobile Crater, in the vicinity of the Lunar South Pole.
More about the mission: In Turkish
In parallel with the Artemis program, NASA will send scientific instruments to the Moon, over 2023 to 2026. Along with NASA instruments, these missions will carry commercial payloads, including the time capsules that make up The Lunar Codex. All are curated in by professional editors, anthologists, publishers, art curators, and gallerists.
All in all, the Lunar Codex comprises six time capsules, each launched by a different mission. These archival missions of the Lunar Codex are part of the most significant placement of contemporary arts on the Moon in over fifty years.
At its essence, the Lunar Codex is a set of time capsules, a message-in-a-bottle to future generations.
"Our hope is that future travelers who find these time capsules will discover some of the richness of our world today... It speaks to the idea that, despite wars and pandemics and climate upheaval, humankind found time to dream, time to create art.” - Samuel Peralta
NØVA III will be on the last mission called CODEX POLARS via Spacex Falcon Heavy, launching in December 2025
Codex Polaris is our payload associated with an Astrobotic Griffin mission carrying NASA's VIPER rover, targeting the Nobile Crater, in the vicinity of the Lunar South Pole.
More about the mission: In Turkish
‘Legacy’
«Condition of Earth is my legacy»
During the solar eclipse on Earth, a blue-eyed lunar citizen saw the reflection while watching the cosmic event. In a time when we have moved beyond a materialistic lifestyle, and when the next generation can create what they need on their own, the only thing we can leave behind for them is the condition of life on this planet.
“Dear next generation, the condition of Earth is our legacy to you. Enjoy it.”
Cosmic vision.
"This city makes my eyes focus into infinity and open the cosmic eye wide."
is an experimental documentary exploring a unique perceptual shift — a moment when the everyday urban fabric loses its hold on attention, allowing vision to pierce beyond the streets and crowds, straight into the cosmic vastness.
The film is part of my ongoing Celestialism cycle — a creative practice of seeing the world through the lens of cosmic scale in projects like NØVA III, Solar flora, ect. In this chapter, the city becomes a backdrop for an inward expansion. As personal connection with its surface fades, the gaze turns upward, opening cosmic eye — a metaphysical body part each human carries at the crown of the head, directed toward the stars.
Shot during my final days in a city that had grown visually and emotionally dim, Cosmic Vision captures the moment when perception breaks free from the density of urban life and seeks alignment with celestial rhythms. It’s a quiet rebellion against gravity, and a meditation on the eternal presence of the universe right above us.
is an experimental documentary exploring a unique perceptual shift — a moment when the everyday urban fabric loses its hold on attention, allowing vision to pierce beyond the streets and crowds, straight into the cosmic vastness.
The film is part of my ongoing Celestialism cycle — a creative practice of seeing the world through the lens of cosmic scale in projects like NØVA III, Solar flora, ect. In this chapter, the city becomes a backdrop for an inward expansion. As personal connection with its surface fades, the gaze turns upward, opening cosmic eye — a metaphysical body part each human carries at the crown of the head, directed toward the stars.
Shot during my final days in a city that had grown visually and emotionally dim, Cosmic Vision captures the moment when perception breaks free from the density of urban life and seeks alignment with celestial rhythms. It’s a quiet rebellion against gravity, and a meditation on the eternal presence of the universe right above us.
NGC 660 / Cosmic eye (∞.∞, ∞,∞)
Date: October 17th, 2012 A moment of contemplation between the observer and the cosmos. NGC 660 — a rare polar-ring galaxy — reveals layers of cosmic memory, shaped by a past galactic collision. Its tilted ring, filled with luminous blue and red supergiants, tells of starbursts triggered by ancient interactions. Captured by the Gemini North Telescope, this image becomes both document and dreamscape — where time folds, and new stars emerge from the echoes of a billion-year encounter. Image Source: https://noirlab.edu/public/images/gemini1210a/ Position (ICRS) RA = 1h 42m 53.2s DEC = 13° 41’ 21.7” Orientation North is 81.9° CW Field of View 9.3 x 5.6 arc minutes Constellation Pisces. Credit: International Gemini Observatory/AURA
The Infrared Face of the Andromeda Galaxy / Baku Boulevard Bayfront Terrace (40.362483, 49.837412)
Date: May 9th, 2024 A quiet view opens from Bayfront Terrace, along the curve of Baku Boulevard’s National Park — and far beyond it, the newly processed infrared image of the Andromeda galaxy glows like a cosmic mirage. Captured with data from NASA’s now-retired Spitzer Space Telescope, the image reveals Andromeda’s sweeping disk of stars and dusky clouds where new suns are born. A luminous ring runs through its spiral form, while arcs near its heart whisper of a supermassive black hole — invisible, yet shaping all around it. Data from the WISE mission completes the picture, sprinkling in Milky Way stars like sparks across a velvet sky. A moment suspended between earthbound calm and stellar infinity. Image Source: www.spitzer.caltech.edu/image/ssc2024-02a-the-infrared-face-of-the-andromeda-galaxy Position (ICRS)RA = 0h 42m 44.3s DEC = 41° 16’ 8.5” Orientation North is 49.8° CCW Field of View 3.9 x 1.7 degrees Constellation Andromeda Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
A (Galactic) Arm’s Length Away / Nigar Rafibayli str. (40.372058, 49.839170)
Date: May 6th, 2020 The two galaxies in this image — NGC 672 (top right) and IC 1727 (bottom left) — appear to be so close that they are almost elbowing each other, like playful children. In fact, the galaxies shown in this beautifully detailed image taken at the Kitt Peak National Observatory, a program of NSF NOIRLab, are classified as a galactic pair, and the gravity of each galaxy influences the other. The pair are located around 20 million light-years away from Earth and the space between them spans over 80,000 light-years, a seemingly enormous gap. However, from the perspective of the galaxies themselves, that separation is not so significant, as it is roughly equivalent to the size of the galaxies themselves. Image Source: https://noirlab.edu/public/images/iotw2019a/Position (ICRS)RA = 1h 47m 42.2s DEC = 27° 22’ 18.9”Orientation North is 90.1° CW Field of View15.8 x 14.9 arc minutes Constellation Triangulum. Credit: KPNO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA Acknowledgments: PI: M T. Patterson (New Mexico State University) Image processing: Travis Rector (University of Alaska Anchorage), Mahdi Zamani & Davide de Martin
Wide-field view of the region of the sky around the R Doradus star / Jafar Jabbarli str. (40.385009, 49.828433)
Date: September 11th, 2024 This wide-field view, created from Digitized Sky Survey 2 images, shows the region around R Doradus, the bright, orange star in the centre. The star’s surface was recently imaged in detail using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), in which ESO is a partner. Image Source: https://www.eso.org/public/images/eso2412d/ Credit: ESO/Digitized Sky Survey 2. Acknowledgement: Davide De Martin
Galaxy NGC 7635 / Jafar Jabbarli str. (40.384982, 49.828432)
Date: June 12th, 2014 This mysterious ball of gas is about half a degree from M52, in Cassiopeia. See NGC 2359-Thor's Helmet for more information on this type of object. This image was taken as part of Advanced Observing Program (AOP) program at Kitt Peak Visitor Center during 2014. Image Source: https://noirlab.edu/public/images/noao-n7635ehrhorn/ Position (ICRS) RA = 23h 20m 44.4s DEC = 61° 12’ 52.0” Orientation North is 179.3° CCW Field of View 12.3 x 8.3 arc minutes Constellation Cassiopeia. Credit: KPNO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/Brad Ehrhorn/Adam Block
NGC 6164/6165 nebula surrounding HD 148937 as seen in visible light / Bakuvian Little Venice (40.361727, 49.836853)
Date: April 11th, 2024 This image, taken with the VLT Survey Telescope hosted at ESO’s Paranal Observatory, shows the beautiful nebula NGC 6164/6165, also known as the Dragon’s Egg. The nebula is a cloud of gas and dust surrounding a pair of stars called HD 148937. In a new study using ESO data, astronomers have shown that the two stars are unusually different from each other — one appears much younger and, unlike the other, is magnetic. Moreover, the nebula is significantly younger than either star at its heart, and is made up of gases normally found deep within a star and not on the outside. These clues together helped solve the mystery of the HD 148937 system — there were most likely three stars in the system until two of them clashed and merged, creating a new, larger and magnetic star. This violent event also created the spectacular nebula that now surrounds the remaining stars. Image Source: https://www.eso.org/public/images/eso2407a/ Credit: ESO/VPHAS+ team. Acknowledgement: CASU
NGC 6960 / Bakuvians before the Veil Nebula (40.375504, 49.832425)
Date: June 30th, 2020 This image of the Veil Nebula was taken with the Mosaic camera on the WIYN 0.9-meter telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory. The Veil Nebula (NGC 6960) is part of a supernova remnant known as the Cygnus Loop. It is the shattered remains of one, and possibly two, supernovae that exploded more than 15,000 years ago at a distance of 2,500 light-years from Earth in the direction of the constellation of Cygnus, the Swan. At the time of the explosion, it would have been seen as a very bright star, rivaling the crescent Moon. The bright star near the center of the image, known as 52 Cygnus, is not associated with the supernova. The color image was generated by combining data from narrowband filters; data from H-alpha was assigned a red color, [OIII] is blue, and [SII] is green. North is to the left and east is down. Image Source: https://noirlab.edu/public/images/noao-veil-wiyn-0-9-m/ Position (ICRS) RA = 20h 44m 20.4s DEC = 30° 36’ 26.0” Orientation North is 89.8° CCW Field of View 59.8 x 53.0 arc minutes Constellation CygnusCredit: T. A. Rector/University of Alaska Anchorage and WIYN/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA
M51 • Whirlpool / 5 Mertebe (40.375801, 49.832354)
Date: February 20th, 2014 A spiral galaxy very similar to our own Milky Way, seen face-on. There are a couple of hundred billion stars here. The dark splotches are dust clouds, and the tiny pink spots are star forming regions, where new stars (and probably solar systems) are born.The bright object to the right is another galaxy, a small barred spiral captured by M51. Eventually, they will merge, making a single large galaxy (probably very distorted from its present state). Both galaxies are about 35 million light-years away.Go to the NOAO image gallery entry for M51 for more information on these galaxies. This image was taken as part of Advanced Observing Program (AOP) program at Kitt Peak Visitor Center during 2014. Image Source: https://noirlab.edu/public/images/noao-m51haase/ Position (ICRS)RA = 13h 30m 9.0s DEC = 47° 19’ 25.1”Orientation North is 82.8° CW Field of View16.1 x 10.8 arc minutes Constellation Canes Venatici. Credit: KPNO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/George Hatfield and Flynn Haase
Reflection Nebula • NGC 1788 / Boulevard (40.363215, 49.837481)
Date: June 30th, 2020 This image was obtained with the wide-field view of the Mosaic camera on the Mayall 4-meter telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory. NGC 1788 is an unusual reflection nebula (bluish white at the center of the image) surrounded by a glowing red ring of hydrogen gas. The stars inside the nebula are only about a million years old, which is very young compared to most stars. The ring of glowing hydrogen gas is energized by nearby hot, massive stars not visible in the image. The image was generated with observations in the B (blue), I (orange) and Hydrogen-Alpha (red) filters. In this image, North is up, East is to the left. Image Source: https://noirlab.edu/public/images/noao-ngc1788/ Position (ICRS) RA = 5h 6m 55.3s DEC = -3° 21’ 24.9”Orientation North is upField of View 33.4 x 36.3 arc minutes Constellation Orion. Credit: KPNO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/T.A. Rector (University of Alaska Anchorage), H. Schweiker & S. Pakzad (NOIRLab/NSF/AURA)
Galaxies IC 2163 and NGC 2207 / Carpet Museum Square (40.360145, 49.834313)
Date: October 31st, 2024 An evening city stroll, the hum of bicycles — beneath this calm, two galaxies once grazed each other millions of years ago. The smaller spiral, IC 2163, passed behind its larger companion, NGC 2207, triggering waves of star formation. Together, they now birth nearly two dozen Sun-sized stars each year — a rate far surpassing our Milky Way. Their luminous dance has even hosted seven known supernovae, clearing space and reshaping the galactic arms with gas, dust, and new life. In the backdrop: stars, silence, and the timeless pull of gravity. Image Source: https://esahubble.org/images/heic2414a/ Position (ICRS) RA = 6h 16m 25.2s DEC = -21° 22’ 29.2” Orientation North is 11.9° CW Field of View 4.8 x 2.3 arc minutes Constellation Canis Major. Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI
Planetary Nebula • HFG1 / Azneft Flag (40.360794, 49.836969)
Date: June 30th, 2020 This image was obtained with the wide-field view of the Mosaic camera on the Mayall 4-meter telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory. HFG1 is a planetary nebula in the constellation of Cassiopeia. It was produced by a binary star system (V664 Cas) that is moving rapidly through our Galaxy. The star is moving towards the upper-right of the image. As HFG1 plows through the interstellar medium, a bluish bowshock is produced; and a red trail of gas is left behind in its wake. The image was generated with observations in the Hydrogen alpha (red) and Oxygen [OIII] (blue) filters. In this image, North is down and East is to the right. Image Source: https://noirlab.edu/public/images/noao-hfg1/ Position (ICRS)RA = 3h 2m 58.6sDEC = 64° 50’ 10.9”Orientation North is 180.0° CCW Field of View 26.6 x 19.8 arc minutes Constellation Cassiopeia. Credit: NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/T.A. Rector (University of Alaska Anchorage/NSF NOIRLab) & H. Schweiker (NSF NOIRLab)
Blooming of the Spare Tyre Nebula • IC 5148 / Ataturk Park (40.407870, 49.848351)
Date: November 1st, 2023 IC 5148, nicknamed the Spare Tyre Nebula, is a beautiful planetary nebula located about 3000 light-years away near the ‘neck’ of the southern constellation Grus (The Crane). This image, captured with the Gemini South telescope, one half of the International Gemini Observatory operated by NSF NOIRLab, showcases the looming cloud of gas of IC 1548 and the central stellar remnant from which the gas radiates. It’s one of the fastest expanding planetary nebulae, pushing out into space at 180,000 kilometers per hour (112,000 miles per hour). With small telescopes, this nebula looks like a bright central star with an outer ring. The mesmerizing layers of gas are faint. They are almost undetectable without the use of larger telescopes, and not with the clarity captured in this image using the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) on Gemini South. Around the time IC 5148 was discovered by astronomers in 1894, researchers coined the term planetary nebula to refer to these giant gaseous balls that looked like giant planets. Today we know that these balls are in fact stellar remnants. At the center of IC 5148 is a white dwarf, the hot core of the dying star, surrounded by asymmetrical gaseous ‘blooms’ and a faint halo ring. The predecessor of the white dwarf was likely a star of a similar mass to our Sun. At the end of that star’s life, the internal pressure imbalance resulted in the star swelling up into a red giant. As it grew, the outer layers of the gas and stellar material were pushed into space to form the nebula we see today. The central hole — the dark patch surrounding the star — is due to the pressure of the radiation from the star that pushes the surrounding gas away from the core and leaves a vacant space. The formation of the ring and the bow-like structures of gas are marks of the evolutionary history of IC 5148 — but the mechanisms that created them remain a mystery to astronomers. Image Source: https://noirlab.edu/public/images/iotw2344a/ Position (ICRS) RA = 21h 59m 35.2s DEC = -39° 23’ 14.8” Orientation North is 14.9° CW Field of View 5.5 x 4.9 arc minutes Constellation Grus. Credit: International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA Image processing: T.A. Rector (University of Alaska Anchorage/NSF NOIRLab), J. Miller (Gemini Observatory/NSF NOIRLab), M. Rodriguez (Gemini Observatory/NSF NOIRLab), & M. Zamani (NSF NOIRLab)
Baku, Caspian coast, Earth, Solar system, Milky Way, August 2024, 1
2025
SOLARFLORA
W I P
Plants, too, possess vision—not in the way humans do, but in their innate ability to perceive and respond to light. They grow toward the source of illumination, stretching toward it with unwavering devotion. From the moment they sprout until the day they wither, plants exist in a perpetual state of contemplation, directing their entire being toward the sun. To them, the sun is both a god and an ideal, the ultimate presence they seek from their very first leaf.
Yet, despite their natural inclination toward symmetry and perfect geometric proportions, countless factors disrupt this pursuit—shadows, physical obstructions, and environmental conditions. Achieving perfect symmetry, then, becomes a mark of the highest level of consciousness. At certain moments, at the peak of their existence, having absorbed enough energy, plants ascend to a higher state of awareness. It is in this state that they create flowers.
Flowers are the ultimate creation of plants—crafted in the image of the sun, as perceived through their unique vision. Each plant, in its own perspective, sees the sun differently, and thus, each flower is a reflection of that vision. The ability to attract and draw others toward them, an art learned from the sun, manifests in the way flowers emerge as radiant beacons for pollinators. Their colors, their structures, their very essence—each is an attempt to recreate the sun, to encapsulate its energy in a form that invites life to interact with it.
Thus, plant vision clarifies the essence of visual perception—when the source of solar illumination is singular, yet images perceived by different plants millions. Similarly, we, humans assign images in our imagination to the sources of energy we perceive.
Yet, despite their natural inclination toward symmetry and perfect geometric proportions, countless factors disrupt this pursuit—shadows, physical obstructions, and environmental conditions. Achieving perfect symmetry, then, becomes a mark of the highest level of consciousness. At certain moments, at the peak of their existence, having absorbed enough energy, plants ascend to a higher state of awareness. It is in this state that they create flowers.
Flowers are the ultimate creation of plants—crafted in the image of the sun, as perceived through their unique vision. Each plant, in its own perspective, sees the sun differently, and thus, each flower is a reflection of that vision. The ability to attract and draw others toward them, an art learned from the sun, manifests in the way flowers emerge as radiant beacons for pollinators. Their colors, their structures, their very essence—each is an attempt to recreate the sun, to encapsulate its energy in a form that invites life to interact with it.
Thus, plant vision clarifies the essence of visual perception—when the source of solar illumination is singular, yet images perceived by different plants millions. Similarly, we, humans assign images in our imagination to the sources of energy we perceive.
In this celestialistic* project I explored the world of flora in cosmic scale. Combining lenses with different properties, changing their angles and distances, and directing sunlight through them, we can reproduce plants vision. With the correct arrangement of optics, we can see the world how they perceive it.
Fin.
