The Jerome Artists Cooperative Gallery is excited to present a unique Featured Artist Show entitled, “Capturing the Night Sky with Bob Shuman.” An afternoon-evening reception for the artist will be held during Jerome’s First Saturday Art & Wine Walk on April 6 from 4 pm-7:30 pm at the Jerome Co-op, 502 N Main St in Jerome.
Astrophotography and landscape photography have risen in popularity in recent years thanks to the advances of digital camera sensors that have allowed photographers to capture impressive images of the night sky. In the Northern Hemisphere, the best time to photograph the Milky Way is from April to September. The nearest star to the Sun is about 4.4 light-years away, and many of the brightest stars in our sky are less than 100 light-years away. To add to that the Sun lies roughly 27,000 light-years away from the center of the galaxy, in a partially formed arm known as the Orion-Cygnus Arm, which itself lies about midway between the two main arms. This places us about midway between the center and the edge of the galaxy, in what might be considered the suburbs of the Milky Way.
On a clear, dark night, you may be able to see around 2,500 stars in the sky. Every one of those belongs to the Milky Way Galaxy. As each star is just one of billions in the Milky Way Galaxy, the Milky Way itself is just one of billions of galaxies in the universe. While this sounds as though the Milky Way is nothing special, it’s worth remembering that it’s also the city of stars in which we live--and we’ve barely managed to step outside our front door!
Come to the Jerome Artists Cooperative Gallery to join Bob Shuman in exploring his view of the Milky Way from remote areas in Arizona. Find out why curiosity is the driving force behind his photography. Bob states, “I am motivated by the desire to explore the unfamiliar and drawn toward understanding the underlying beauty and mystery of our planet.” That was his impetus to become a chemist, and now it guides his path as a landscape astrophotographer. Bob continues, “There is an indescribable, tangible sense of awe in those moments when I stand alone in front of a great landscape; a feeling of complete connection to our amazing planet, and an awareness of the fragile nature of our relationship with it.” After spending several fruitless nights in the remote areas of Navajo land, surrounded by deep gorges, Bob feels the fear of solitude in that alien place melt away as he watches the Milky Way rise above. Bob became ecstatic to be part of the magic, conversing with each of the stars. Bob describes it as, “I had the universe to myself in that moment!”
Come share the moments, the mystery and the magic that Bob has captured within his images!
Jerome’s First Saturday Art & Wine Walk from 4 pm – 7:30 pm on April 6. Snacks and beverages are available along with live music. Open to the public. Free parking at the Old High School with a Shuttle Bus available.
Jerome Artists Cooperative Gallery 502 N Main St, Jerome info@jeromecoop.com www.jeromecoop.com 928-639-4276
Currently accepting applications for membership in all mediums.
