Journey through the TRAPPIST-1 System

Journey through the TRAPPIST-1 System
Division of Planetary Sciences, American Astronomical Society Conference

Collaborators: Dr. Brian Jackson, Physics; Ryan Donahue, ADVS; Dr. Eric Alexander, Music, including music by Dr. Alexander’s Music Composition students Christian Gray, Payton Harrison, Lexi Holcomb, Curtis Pinkham, Jesse Salinas, Patty Salmon and Kerri Villamor. 

Journey through the TRAPPIST-1 System is a collaborative project for the Boise State Stein Luminary including the departments of Music, Art, Design, and Visual Studies and Physics. Music composed by Boise State Music Composition Students and visualization of the planets by Ryan Donahue will take visitors on a fascinating and educational journey through the system

Much like Gustav Holst’s famous composition “The Planets”, the students of Eric Alexander’s Boise State Music Composition studio have composed the “TRAPPIST-1 Suite”, inspired by a solar system approximately 41 light years away from Earth which includes a planet that may be very similar to ours. Each student composed a movement representing one of the planets, inspired by the unique physics and characteristics of the TRAPPIST-1 system.

The music was also performed and recorded by these students with some help from musicians in the community. The music will accompany beautiful visuals in the Luminary created by Ryan Donahue, based on current knowledge of the system, with scientific guidance by Brian Jackson. The interactive project is entertaining and educational for people of all ages and will be exhibited at the 56th Division for Planetary Sciences meeting to be held at Boise State University October 6-10, 2024.