EARTH, A COSMIC SPECTACLE/ CHAPTER Four
Earth, a Cosmic Spectacle/ Ghosts
Collaborating partners
Nature Astronomy
The Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge
Astronomy Department of Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
Location
World-wide
Years
2026
Nature Astronomy commissioned a Comment piece about my ongoing project Earth, a Cosmic Spectacle, and my residency at the Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge.
Read Earth, a Cosmic Spectacle in Nature Astronomy here.
”The Institute of Astronomy’s (IoA) Artist in Residence, Louise Beer, explores how our relationship with the night sky may shape the way that we value life on Earth, and how we individually and collectively understand the significance of the climate crisis through her multi-chapter project Earth, a Cosmic Spectacle. As light pollution and satellites are diminishing the view of the Universe for large parts of humanity, Louise and astronomers at the IoA reflect on how dark and clear night skies have affected them, and how losing a cosmic and deep-time context for life on Earth might influence how we value the living world.”
Lead author
Louise Beer
Co-authors
Dr Matthew Bothwell
Dr Anik Halder
Dr Charlotte Simmonds
The article was published on 16 November 2026.
Invitation to participate
Readers and the wider public are invited to send in a letter to the University of Cambridge for the archive of Earth, a Cosmic Spectacle.
Here is your question: “How does your knowledge of the scales of time and the ∼13.8-billion-year concatenation of astronomical and Earth-based events required to create Earth and all its biodiversity, help to shape your understanding of the significance of the climate crisis?”
Please send your postcard to:
Earth, a Cosmic Spectacle
Institute of Astronomy
Madingley Road
Cambridge
CB3 0HA
England
If you have any questions about this, please feel free to email me on the address below:
louise.j.beer@gmail.com