Astrotop_X: between astronomy, art and ecology

An art and science event between astronomy, art and ecology will take place on Friday 12 July 2024 at the Ruska jama (Russian Cave).

You are invited to the heart of the scorched Karst for the first public presentation of a space capsule that will enable Karst vegetation to find a second home among the stars. While much of the space industry, as well as societal imaginaries and narratives, is focused on the search for a life-friendly planet, a group of artists and scientists are asking who is actually searching for a second home in space and what determines the factors that define the cosmic landscape as 'B'. The ecosystem uses technology to look out into deep space, browse a database of exoplanets and assess where - and if - to move to in the future.

Programme of the event on Friday 12.7.2024:

17.30 Welcome
18.00 Presentation of the project: Nejc Trampuž & Dorotea Dolinšek, Andreja Gomboc, pETER Purg
18.30 Observation of the Karst biotope: Jože Bavcon, Blanka Ravnjak
19.30 Round table: Why and how does Planet B colonise part of the karst ecosystem?
20.30 Dinner (catering by kmetija Leban, Lipa)
21.30 Visualisations of exoplanet knowledge: Saptashwa Bhattacharyya
22.00 Stargazing: Andreja Gomboc
22.30 Music programme, soundscapes in the cave, film screening: Rooted in Code (Nejc Trampuž)

Location:

At the Ruska jama, (1.8 km north of Kostanjevica na Krasu), more precisely here:
Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ry32SzgnMkrGCjSS8
GPS: 45.858895, 13.638604

Access:

In Kostanjevica na Krasu, after the church and the cemetery, follow the macadam northwards, following the signs for Ruska jama. You can park at one of the extensions 50-200m before the cave site, or earlier on the road from Kostanjevica. We recommend a walk through the scorched but verdant Karst from the cemetery/church car park: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ry32SzgnMkrGCjSS8

Good footwear and clothing, a torch and tick repellent are recommended.

Astrotop_X:

Nejc Trampuž & Dorotea Dolinšek, artists
Andreja Gomboc, astronomy (UNG FN)
pETER Purg, science-art (UNG FH/AU, GO! 2025)

Participants:

Saptashwa Bhattacharyya, UNG FN
Botany: Jože Bavcon and Blanka Ravnjak, Botanical Garden, UL BF
Peter Trontelj, UL BF
Technical solutions: Dmitry Morozov
Photography by Gašper Rebernik (UNG AU)
Graphics: Nejc Trampuž
Caring for the cave and its environment: Jamarski Klub Temnica (Temnica Caving Club)

Production GO! 2025 (Mojca Stubelj Ars, Xcenter) within the PostMobility and xMobil projects (pETER Purg)

In cooperation with:

University of Nova Gorica (ung.si), Faculty of Natural Sciences (FN), Faculty of Humanities (FH), Academy of Arts (AU)
University of Ljubljana (uni-lj.si), Faculty of Biotechnology (BF) and UL Botanical Garden

More about the project:

A carefully selected part of the karst ecosystem will be used in the Astrotop_X capsule to analyse the habitat potential of exoplanets through real-time temperature and circadian rhythm reporting using an algorithm. The project will be fully premiered at the Xcenter gallery in Nova Gorica on 30 October 2024, after which the capsule will travel in the xMobil art and science laboratory, a solar-powered caravan, as part of a closed-circuit system typical of spacecraft.