SUMMARY
Photography student Tom Liggett sent blank film, sealed in a lightproof bag, to an altitude of 120,000 feet using a helium balloon. In the stratosphere, cosmic rays, UVC radiation, and muons from distant black holes burned abstract patterns directly into the film emulsion. Liggett spent two months testing different emulsions to find one that could withstand the radiation. He collaborated with a company that sends client products to the stratosphere for promotional materials, and his resulting images are considered by him to be a more accurate representation of space than a photograph.
TAKEAWAYS
Blank film was sent to 120,000 feet via helium balloon.
Cosmic radiation and black hole muons burned abstract patterns into the film.
The student tested various emulsions to withstand high-altitude radiation.
Liggett believes the resulting images are a more accurate representation of space.