HORIZON LIGHT

A vibrant AR-enabled mural that finds parallels between the sparse luminous matter astrophysicists use to detect black holes with the work that women do in revealing hidden truths about our world. The mural draws from the scientific research of Dr. Chung-Pei Ma, an astrophysicist based at the University of California Berkeley. Dr. Ma studies how luminous matter reveals the existence of supermassive black holes, regions in the universe where gravity is so strong that even light can’t escape. These black holes reside at the centers of galaxies and can reach masses equivalent to billions of suns.  We infer the existence of these hidden giants by detecting their outsized influence on the behavior and appearance of surrounding stars and gas clouds—things we can see.  Supermassive black holes and their host galaxies have grown and evolved symbiotically over the past 10 billion years of cosmic history.

Likewise, women are both sources of light and agents of illumination. We celebrate their shining achievements as well as their often-overlooked victories. We cherish their discerning eye, which ensures that acts of kindness, moments of courage, and last-minute saves do not go unnoticed. We applaud their courage in spotlighting wrongdoings and calling out bad behaviors that would otherwise remain hidden. Women illuminate what needs to be seen and brighten the path to the future so we can all live in a better world.

Local organizing and coordination was provided by the Community Foundation of San Carlos.

Artist Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya will invite youth and community members to the site to participate in the making of the mural and hear about the science that inspired it on June 23rd.