The Center is Everywhere
David H. Weinberg

TL;DR
This paper discusses a sculpture inspired by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey that visualizes the universe's large-scale structure, highlighting the scientific principles of cosmic homogeneity and the infinite nature of the universe.
Contribution
It introduces a unique art-science sculpture based on SDSS data, illustrating complex cosmological concepts through visual representation.
Findings
Visualizes cosmic structure using glass crystals and lamps
Highlights the principle of statistical homogeneity in cosmology
Connects art with scientific understanding of the universe
Abstract
"The Center is Everywhere" is a sculpture by Josiah McElheny, currently (through October 14, 2012) on exhibit at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston. The sculpture is based on data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), using hundreds of glass crystals and lamps suspended from brass rods to represent the three-dimensional structure mapped by the SDSS through one of its 2000+ spectroscopic plugplates. This article describes the scientific ideas behind this sculpture, emphasizing the principle of the statistical homogeneity of cosmic structure in the presence of local complexity. The title of the sculpture is inspired by the work of the French revolutionary Louis Auguste Blanqui, whose 1872 book "Eternity Through The Stars: An Astronomical Hypothesis" was the first to raise the spectre of the infinite replicas expected in an infinite, statistically homogeneous universe. Puzzles…
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Taxonomy
TopicsGalaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena · Advanced Mathematical Theories and Applications · Cosmology and Gravitation Theories
