Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata is using some of his time aboard the International Space Station to create art, namely spiral light paintings made utilizing the station's microgravity and a spinning top.
Wakata has been tweeting his most recent light paintings. First, he showed off the "Spiral Top" designed by light artist Takuro Osaka. The top has LEDs attached, and by taking long exposure photos, Wakata can show off the path of the LEDs through the ISS corridors.
This "Spiral Top" with LEDs makes an amazing art in zero-gravity. See photos of my next two tweets. pic.twitter.com/EvU25l3Il8
— Koichi Wakata (@Astro_Wakata) January 6, 2014
軌道上芸術活動の一環として、逢坂卓郎氏が考案したSpiral Topを使った実験を行いました。宇宙は新たな芸術も創造する空間、無重量環境の可能性は無限大です。 pic.twitter.com/O5kxdk40hP
— Koichi Wakata (@Astro_Wakata) January 6, 2014
Another photo of "Spiral Top" developed by Dr.Takuro Osaka. Potential of what zero-gravity can create is unlimited! pic.twitter.com/C6TXzS628w
— Koichi Wakata (@Astro_Wakata) January 6, 2014
This isn't the first time that Wakata and Osaka have collaborated on ISS art. Here a couple of pieces that Wakata made using an Osaka Spiral Top during his 2009 stay aboard the ISS (via the University of Tsukuba):
[via Geekosystem]
onlinecollegedegreee.blogspot.com Japanese "Spiral Top" makes zero-gravity light paintings aboard the ISS