Betelgeuse

(20"L x 20"W x 36"H)

The StarSentient™ sculpture, Betelgeuse, is named for a red supergiant star marking the eastern shoulder of the constellation Orion, the Great Hunter (Giant), and is one of the largest and most luminous stars visible to the naked eye. Located  650-700 light-years from Earth, it has a diameter of about 900 times that of the Sun, meaning that if placed at the center of our solar system, it would extend beyond the orbit of Mars and possibly to Jupiter. Although its cooler surface temperature (3,500 K) makes it appear reddish, Betelgeuse is intrinsically powerful, radiating as much as 100,000 times the Sun’s luminosity. Its brightness varies noticeably over time due to pulsations and massive convective cells in its atmosphere, making it unstable with irregular brightness variations to the naked eye. The name Betelgeuse derives from the Arabic, likely from ‘Yadd al-Jawzā’, meaning “the hand of Orion,” reflecting its upper position in the great hunter constellation. It first appeared with a published name close to this in Al-Sufi’s Book of Fixed Stars in the 10th century. Astronomically, it is a massive, evolved star fated to explode in a supernova, returning its enriched elements to the cosmos within the next hundred thousand years.

The sculpture’s contrast of polished surfaces with sandblasted textures adds depth to the shape’s dynamic sense of movement. In this piece, I have certainly pulled upon the great oceanic jellies in sentiment and form.  $11,000