Screened in Art Among the Stars 2025
How Many Photons Do You Count?
2025
audiovisualization in TouchDesigner and MaxMSP
5 min
We work with a 3–79 keV NuSTAR (Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array) observation of the Galactic Center and its surrounding region, obtained on April 30, 2018. Light curves from this observation revealed a bright double-peaked flare from the supermassive black hole Sgr A*. This level of activity has been captured by NuSTAR only once in its 12-year mission to date.
High-energy astronomers often refer to themselves as photon counters, reflecting the challenge of working with faint, distant, and largely quiescent phenomena. In this project, a 5-hour observation is translated into a 5-minute audiovisual experience.
Viewers are invited to travel through time, witnessing the energy, location, and fleeting presence of each detected light particle.
How do you feel about being a photon counter?
Rose Xu
DXARTS Department, 1st year Ph.D.
Rose Xu is a new media artist and researcher who works at the intersection of human movement, technology, and creative research. She holds a BA in Math and Dance from Bard College, an MPhil in Data Intensive Science from University of Cambridge, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Digital Arts and Experimental Media (DXARTS) at the University of Washington, Seattle. Her work explores how computational tools can support not only scientific research, but also creative practices across disciplines. She brings a hands-on, inclusive approach to research and teaching, and is passionate about making open-source tools accessible to all researchers and makers.
Ranger Liu
Astronomy Department, 1st year Ph.D.
RANGER LIU (they/them) is an artist and astrophysicist interested in using abstract theoretical structures to communicate subjective lived experience. They aim to bridge the gap between "objective" and "subjective" knowledge by cross-applying their truth-making methodologies. Their creative work uses scientific frameworks, including (but not limited to) math, astronomy, physics, and linguistics, to develop physical processes for sonic, visual, and sculptural composition and performance. They hold an MFA in Design and Technology from Parsons School of Design. They are currently studying technosignatures as part of SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) with James Davenport at UW.
