Pilgrimage of Light
When we look at far away galaxies, or when we lay our hands on ancient rocks, we are sensing distant pasts. For instance, the light of the Sombrero Galaxy we see today has traveled for 35 million years before it reached Earth. In the same duration, the hoodoos at Bryce Canyon were formed. At the end of this eternity in human timescale, you and I happen to be alive to experience them.
I embark on photographic journeys to bear witness of this trio of coexistence: universe, Earth and people, laboring the legwork of landscape photographers. With a transjector and a NASA archive, I transject the stars onto the terrain while photographing. I match the durations of the celestial light’s journey and the geologic formation’s age, in the previous instance, 35 million years. Through my Pilgrimage of Light, the heavenly and the Earthly are juxtaposed for the first time.
All projected astronomical images are by NASA/ESA and other space institutions as indicated
About Onsite Transjection
I make physical journeys onsite, the Pilgrimages, to juxtapose the two grand entities while instilling the third, anthropic element. This can’t be achieved with conventional projectors that are too dim, heavy and require A/C power. I therefore invented transjectors by inverting the function of a camera, backlighting a slide with a flash. A camera synced to the latter captures the fleeting moment when the spacescape joins the landscape.
Setting up for transjection at dusk at White Sands
Audio Guides
Let me tell you the stories behind these images. They are my personal adventures. Click on the images and you will be led to either an enlarged view, or the audio guide page, if it’s available.
M 104, the Sombrero Galaxy's light was emitted when the ancient Claron Lake dried up 35 million years ago, depositing the sediments that formed Bryce Canyon. The celestial and terrestrial oddities united through my projector. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) Assisted by Olive Chen
The deities and animals carved by the Hisatsinom/Nengwoots on the sandstone walls of Capitol Reef and the light of Orion Nebula traveled over 1000 years, through time and space, to reach us today. Credit: NASA, ESA, M. Robberto ( Space Telescope Science Institute/ESA) and the Hubble Space Telescope Orion Treasury Project Team Assisted by Olive Chen
The Chimney Rock formation at Capitol Reef was uplifted some 60 million years ago, when the light of NGC 1300 started its journey to us. NASA, ESA, and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) Assisted by Olive Chen
Bands of K-Pg boundary marks the meteor strike, 65 million years ago at Yucatan Peninsula, which wiped out most of the dinosaurs. If there’s an advanced civilization in NGC 4038, 65 million light years away, that can observe Earth with a super telescope, they would see the drama of extinction unfold, right “now”. NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration. Acknowledgement: B. Whitmore ( Space Telescope Science Institute) and James Long (ESA/Hubble).
Veil Nebula NGC 6960, remnant of a supernova, is 2100 light years away from us. Now its image is projected on the famed General Sherman—the world's largest tree, a sequoia, that spouted about the time NGC 6960 emitted the light we see today. NASA, ESA, Hubble Heritage Team
The famed Orion Nebula is the closest star-forming cloud to us, yet, its light still takes 1400 years to reach NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. Meanwhile, White Sands’ gypsum sand dunes shaped, and reshaped. NASA, ESA, M. Robberto ( Space Telescope Science Institute/ESA) and the Hubble Space Telescope Orion Treasury Project Team Assisted by Olive Chen
The light from the Milky Way's closest and largest neighbor took 2.5 million years to travel to earth, meanwhile, Carlsbad Cavern had formed through uplift movement, and was decorating itself with formations from mineral-rich water drips. NASA/JPL-Caltech Assisted by Olive Chen
The shape and color of M101 we see today are over 20 million years old, the same age of Carlsbad Cavern since it was born from an uplifted ancient limestone. European Space Agency & NASA Assisted by Olive Chen
115 millions years ago, an Acrocanthosaurus splashed through mud in pursuit of a herd of Apatosaurus. The light of galaxy NGC 3318 emitted at the same time reaches us today. Through time and space, and the lenses of my camera and projector, they meet at Glen Rose, Texas. ESA/Hubble & NASA, ESO, R. J. Foley Assisted by Olive Chen
Half Dome at Yosemite valley was carved out by glaciers of multiple "ice ages", when the polar cap extended to the Sierras. The globular star cluster Liller 1, projected on the trees through my projector, emitted the light we see today 30,000 years ago during our last glacial period. ESA/Hubble & NASA, F. Ferraro Assisted by Gustavo Solorzano
Pear Lake at Sequoia National Park was carved out by glacial movement some 2.5 million years ago, about the same time the light we see from Andromeda Galaxy, our Milky Way Galaxy’s neighbor, was emitted. NASA/JPL-Caltech
A cypress tree in a Louisianan swamp and Nebula M57, whose light took 2500 years to travel to Earth. Meanwhile, Mississippi River's deltaic evolution left behind swamps like this one. NASA, ESA, and C. Robert O’Dell (Vanderbilt University).
NGC 6302, a nebula whose light started its journey to us when Mississippi Delta was here 3800 years ago. Today, it's a swamp overgrown with cypress trees. NASA, ESA and the Hubble SM4 ERO Team
NGC 6320 and Cypress Swamp in Lousiana. NASA, ESA and the Hubble SM4 ERO Team
The veil-like Cygnus Loop nebula may appear silky, but it's actually an aftermath of a violent supernova explosion which took place 20,000 years ago. It's distance to us is 2500 light years. When Mississippi river passed through different tributaries, its light we see today was still on the way. ESA/Hubble & NASA, W. Blair
NGC 1232 and K-Pg boundary at Big Bend. From a civilization in that 60-million-light-year-away galaxy, an alien with a super telescope would "now" see the Earth being struck by a meteor and its subsequent global climate change wiping out the planet's residents—dinosaurs. Credit: ESO Assisted by Marcia Chen
M51 and Cerro Castolon, both traveled 30 millions years through space and time to us, united last night for the first time under my projection. NASA, ESA, S. Beckwith (STScI), and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) Assisted by Marcia Chen
Between Old Faithful's periodic eruptions, Saturn's light reaches Earth in one and a half hour. NASA, ESA & L. Lamy Assisted by Olive Chen
Liller 1 star cluster's light we see today started its journey 30,000 light years ago, when an ice age shaped Yellowstone's geothermal features like Morning Glory Pool. ESA/Hubble & NASA, F. Ferraro Assisted by Olive Chen
James Webb’s NGC 3324 and The South Rim— The cosmic cliffs of NGC 3324, portrayed by James Webb Space Telescope, is projected below Grand Canyon’s South Rim. Grand Canyon' 6000 feet of strata, carved out by The Colorado in the past 5 million years, span over 1.8 billion years of Earth's history. On top of it there is a stratum that is never mentioned by the geologists. It is the human stratum, seen here as the light from the Grand Canyon Village. All human activities are merely a thin membrane that haven't really registered much on Earth, and could vanish and leave little trace. NGC 3324 is a nursery for new born stars. The young stars emits strong radiation that "erodes" the interstellar gas, sculpting it into shapes of cliffs. It is a process of creation billions of times grander than Grand Canyon's. This should inform us our importance, or rather, the lack thereof, for this universe. Nebula image by NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI
NGC 6786, the larger galaxy on the right, is the aggressor that will eventually choke hold LEDA 62876, the smaller galaxy on the left. This intergalactic wrestling is not a live event, it took place 350 million years ago, when the Redwall limestone, on which I projected the galactic show, was about to form from sea creatures' shells. We, in our blink of a life time, are lucky to witness the extraterrestrial image arrived through the vast space and the oceanic formation uplifted and exposed as part of the Grand Canyon. Next to it is the bunk house of Havasupai Garden, where park ranger Kylie Cesar, technician Matt Snider and myself took shelter in harsh weather. The two kind folks assisted me in making this hardest projection I've ever attempted. The equipment, challenged by low temperature and rain, made the effort stomach-ulcer-worthy. Galactic image produced by NASA, ESA, the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration and A. Evans (University of Virginia, Charlottesville/NRAO/Stony Brook University)
Arp 273, a pair of interacting galaxies 300 million light years away, juxtaposed below the 270 millions years old rim of Grand Canyon. Galaxy image by NASA, ESA and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)
Hikers' headlight, Saturn, Jupiter and Grand Canyon Village— Hiking up the last 3 miles of Bright Angel Trail requires stamina, and about 1.5 hours, the amount of time for light to travel from Saturn to Earth. The last section of switchbacks are the most strenuous and takes about 45 minutes, while the light from Jupiter makes its dash to Earth. When you attempt the ascent, imaging that you you racing with lights that come from these two giant planets. Planet images by NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute
Death Valley's Plio-Pleistocene deposits and Westerlund 2 star cluster. NASA, ESA, the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA), A. Nota (ESA/STScI), and the Westerlund 2 Science Team
The marbles at Mosaic canyon were metamorphosed from dolomite formed Precambrian, when the light of ARP-Madore 417-391 started its journey to us. ESA/Hubble & NASA, Dark Energy Survey/DOE/FNAL/DECam/CTIO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA, J. Dalcanton
SMACS 0723's image, photographed in Infrared by James Webb Space Telescope, is projected on the marble in Death Valley's Mosaic Canyon. The rock is dated to precambrian, the oldest geological era of Earth. Each of the colorful smudges in is a distant galaxy as grand as our own Milky Way, each of them emitted the light we see today, 4.6 thousand million years ago, when Earth was born. The bright stars with 6 or more spikes are not ones of these distant galaxies; they are "nearby" stars in the foreground of SMACS 0723. They are, rather, a signature of JWST: the 6 spikes are caused by its hexagonal mirrors. Hubble's bright stars, on the other hand, has 4 spikes. NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI
NGC 2336 on Bisti Badlands, 100 million light years away, and 100 million years old. ESA/Hubble & NASA, V. Antoniou
Stone Wings, NGC 3314 and a busy sky at Bisti Badlands. NASA, ESA, the Hubble Heritage (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration, and W. Keel (University of Alabama)
Pillars of Creations on Alien Throne at Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness. NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI Joseph DePasquale (STScI), Alyssa Pagan (STScI)
Arp 273 on Coconino Sandstone, below South Rim, Grand Canyon 8/4/2024 Hiking down hundreds of feet below the rim, one would reach the sheer cliff of Coconino Sandstone and travel 280 million year back in geologic time. Projected on it is Arp 273, a pair of tangling galaxies at 300 million light years away. Produced under residency at Grand Canyon Conservancy
MACS 0416 on Vishnu Schist 8/6/2024 Thousands of galaxies in MACS 0416, a galaxy cluster so far away, the light from it we see today started to travel to us when Earth was a newborn. Through my projection, they are littered on Vishnu Schist, the oldest rock at the very bottom of Grand Canyon. Coincidentally, the light from MACS 0416 traveled for ⅓ of the universe’ age, and Vishnu Schist is also as old as ⅓ of Earth’s age. Produced under residency at Grand Canyon Conservancy
Black Hole Sagittarius A* and Bright Angel Bridge 8/7/2024 At the center of our Milky Way galaxy is a massive black hole Sagittarius A*. Event Horizon Telescope captured its photo, which is the 2nd black hole ever being observed. Bright Angel Bridge radiates from the center of the projected black hole, perfectly depicting the jet stream that would shoot out from the axis of a black hole when matters fall into the black hole and cross the point of no return. Produced under residency at Grand Canyon Conservancy
Rho Ophiuchi and Gorman Falls 7/21/2024 Most waterfalls are eroded away. This beautiful cascade in a Texas State Park, on the other hand, is a travertine, rapidly growing from mineral deposit. Projected on it is Rho Ophiuchi, a nursery that give births to stars. The duo not only share the power of birth and growth, the nebula’s willowy filaments and the waterfalls’ silky cascades make them a pair made in heaven. NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Klaus Pontoppidan (STScI)
When the light from NGC 4535 started its journey 50 million ago, the igneous rock of Devil's Tower was formed from cooling magma. Now the light has arrived and the tower is shaped, they are united under my projector and camera for the first time.
On the right is M104, Sombrero Galaxy, which came to Chris Jordan's mind when he learned that I was coming to Badlands National Park. He was right scientifically too: its look back time at 35 million years matches Brule formation's age. At 60 million light years away, NGC 1300 on the left, though, is not here to match with what's there, but to match with what's NOT there: strata between 37 to 67 millions years old were missing at Badlands NP in a geologic phenomenon called unconformity.
Carina Nebula on Vulture Peak, Badlands National Park. This star nursery's space mountain scape is shaped from the erosion of baby's stars' strong radiation(sounds like parenting, doesn't it?). While its light travels for 7500 years to Earth, Vulture Peak's erosion from meteorological elements goes on. The celestial and Earthly peaks are united under my projection.
Stephan’s Quintet on Courthouse Butte, Arizona 11/23/2025 Stephan's Quintet, a group of colliding galaxies 300 million light years away, is projected on Courthouse Butte, Arizona, 300 million years old. Galaxy image credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI
Ursa Major and Snoopy at Snoopy Rock, Sedona, AZ 11/24/2025 The rock formation resembles Snoopy’s famous napping on rooftop. In 1950, the cartoon canine was created, and the light from Ursa Major we see today was emitted about the same time. Image credit: A. Fujii/Hubble
Opportunity and Burns Cliff on Bell Rock, Arizona 11/25/2025 The sedimentary rocks on Mars and Earth are uncannily similar. They are both made by water, but where did all Mars’ water go? Projected image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell
Io on S P Crater, Arizona 11/27/2025 I projected the image of Io, a violently volcanic moon of Jupiter, on S P Crater to remind us to appreciate the relative calmness of Earth’s life sustaining environment. Io image credit: NASA, JPL, USGS
Comet Hale-Bopp and Double Arch 5/22/2026 The arches at Arches National Park are by no means permanent; as they formed from erosion, one day they will collapse from erosion. When Hale-Bopp comes back in 4377, will Double Arch still be there? Comet photo credit: Gerald Rhemann
Delicate Arch’s Past and Future(Triptych, 1 of 3) 5/22/2026 In geologic “deep time” delicate arch formation’s existence is brief. When M21's light started its journey 10,000 years ago, did the arch exist? NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI; Image Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI)
Delicate Arch’s Past and Future(Triptych, 2 of 3) 5/22/2026 The formations of the arches from Entrada sandstones are brief in comparison to geologic deep times; when the light we see today from NGC 6357 started its journey 5,000 years ago, was Delicate Arch similar to what we see today? NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI; Image Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI)
Delicate Arch’s Past and Future(Triptych, 3 of 3) 5/22/2026 Will the delicate Delicate Arch stand when comet Hale-Bopp visits next time in the year 4377? Comet photo credit: Gerald Rhemann
Sagittarius B2 on Coyote Butte. 5/26/2026 When the light from the star cluster finally lands on Earth 26,000 years after it started its journey, Navajo sandstone that formed the exotic shapes and textures at Coyote Butte has been reshaped to what we see today. How did it look like 26,000 years ago? Image: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Adam Ginsburg (University of Florida), Nazar Budaiev (University of Florida), Taehwa Yoo (University of Florida); Image Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI)
NGC 6357 on The Southern Wave at Coyote Butte South 5/26/2026 This exotic formation from Navajo sandstone is so fragile, it's thin layers of fins(visible on the lower right corner) can crumble at the touch of a finger. When light of NGC 6357 light we see today started to travel 5,500 years ago, The Southern Wave must be very different, judging on how easily it can be reshaped. It's a good policy from BLM to limit the number of daily visit by issuing permits through lotteries, which we luckily won when we entered a geofence within the boundary of Vermillion Cliffs National Monument. NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI; Image Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI)
Westerlund II at Coyote Butte 5/26/2026 Westerlund II's light traveled for 20,000 years to reach us, concurrently, wind and water shaped Navajo sandstones into today's Coyote Butte. ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, V. Almendros-Abad, M. Guarcello, K. Monsch, and the EWOCS team
Saturn rings, our favorite solar system oddity, are too clean to be as old as the planet who hosts it. Now we think it is a few hundred million years old, and is gradually dissipating. This bio resembles that of the Navajo sandstone formation at Coyote Butte I projected it on, which was formed 150 millions year ago from sand dunes, and its fragility is wearing away under wind, water, and visitor's boots. Saturn image credit: NASA, ESA & L. Lamy
NGC 3314 and Slot Canyon at Wire Pass 5/27/2026 The slot canyon at Wire Pass, Vermillion National Monument is walled by Navajo sandstone from the Jurassic, whose age is comparable from the light of NGC 3314 we see today. NASA, ESA, the Hubble Heritage (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration, and W. Keel (University of Alabama)
The Sextet of Erosions 5/25/2026 Pillars of Creation and Toadstool Rocks. The space trio joins the Earthly trio for a sextet of erosions. Nebula image credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI