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Giant Sun sculpture lights up 18th Century hall

PA Visitors stand under Helios and take photographs of the sculpture at Seaton Delaval Hall. The Sun artwork is hanging in the old building, surrounded by stone pillars and sculptures.PA
Helios went on display in Northumberland on Wednesday

People will be able to see the Sun up close as a new artwork goes on display at an 18th Century hall.

The Helios sculpture, named after the ancient Greek god of the Sun, is shining bright in Seaton Delaval Hall, near Seaton Sluice, Northumberland.

The 7m (22ft) artwork took about eight months to make, artist Luke Jerram said.

"It's quite an undertaking and to present it here in this amazing building is such a privilege," he said.

The sculpture is scaled so that each centimetre represents 2,000 km (1,242 miles) of the real Sun's surface.

Luke Jerram is smiling at the camera with his artwork Helios in the background. He is wearing a black jacket with a zip and has brown hair and blue eyes.
Luke Jerram said displaying Helios at Seaton Delaval Hall was "a privilege"

More than 400,000 photographs of the Sun's surface were used in creating the artwork.

Rare features such as sunspots can also be seen.

PA Media The Helios sculpture of the sun hanging at the National Trust's Seaton Delaval Hall. The massive sculpture shows the fiery surface of the sun in different shades of yellow and orange. Three people nearby are observing the artwork, which is surrounded by ancient sculptures. PA Media
Helios took about eight months to create

Mr Jerram, whose previous works Museum of the Moon and Gaia were shown at Durham Cathedral, said he spent "many months" finding internal lighting to help illuminate Helios.

The piece also includes a soundscape featuring NASA recordings of the Sun.

It is on display until 6 April.

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