While February may not bring us much sunshine, visitors to Peterborough Cathedral can certainly catch some ‘sun’ at an upcoming illuminated art exhibition.

‘Helios’ is a striking seven-metre diameter illuminated sculpture of the Sun by renowned touring artist Luke Jerram.

Suspended in the air, the sculpture will offer visitors a rare opportunity to experience the Sun at an extraordinary level of detail and scale – with specially designed soundscapes and music adding to the other worldly atmosphere.

It will be exhibited in the Cathedral from February 10 to 28.

The Helios illuminated sculpture is coming to Peterborough Cathedral in February. Main image: Colin Scott. Inset image: James Dobson.

placeholder image — The Helios illuminated sculpture is coming to Peterborough Cathedral in February. Main image: Colin Scott. Inset image: James Dobson.

“We are absolutely delighted to be hosting Helios at Peterborough Cathedral,” said Gary Cowling, Events Manager at Peterborough Cathedral. “Luke Jerram’s installations have captivated our visitors time and again, and following the tremendous success of Museum of the Moon, Gaia and Mars here at the Cathedral, we are confident that Helios will be just as inspiring and memorable for all who come to see it.”

Helios uses high-resolution photographs from astrophotographer Dr Stuart Green and observations from NASA, to reproduces the Sun at a scale of approximately 1:200 million, with every centimetre on the sculpture representing 2,000km of the Sun’s surface. Audiencescan safely explore features such as sunspots, spicules, filaments, and even the solar flare source regions linked to the dramatic Northern Lights visible across the UK in May 2024.

Helios will be open to the public by suggested donation during regular Cathedral visiting hours. An accompanying programme of events is soon to be announced, offering visitors further opportunities to explore the science, mythology and artistry behind the work, while also enhancing Peterborough’s cultural offer.

The exhibition has been made possible by the generous sponsorship of Peterborough Positive’s Small Grants Scheme.

Pep Cipriano, Chief Operating Officer at Peterborough Positive, said: “Supporting Helios through our Small Grants Scheme is a great example of how targeted investment can help bring ambitious, high-quality cultural experiences into the city centre. Installations like this not only inspire and engage residents and visitors, but also play an important role in increasing footfall, encouraging dwell time and supporting our local businesses."

For more information, visit my-helios.org or follow #HeliosArtwork.