- Scientists have recently examined Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night to see how well its famous swirls fit with known atmospheric physics.
- After analysis, they found that the shapes are not only consistent with our current perception of space chaos, but the colors used throughout this piece were talking about accurate physics on a very small scale.
- The researchers think that Van Gogh may have understood these movements by “studying the movement of clouds and the atmosphere, or that he may have had a “natural sense of capturing the power of the earth.”
The swirling colors and flowing brushstrokes of Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night they have secured the image (and its creator) a place among the all-time greats. As part of the art, Starry Night it is an undeniable beauty, but beauty in itself is often not enough to keep an image cemented in the minds and hearts of the public.
Besides being beautiful, Starry Night somehow he manages to capture the feeling of a clear night sky. Capturing the impression may be the whole point of the impressionist – Van Gogh himself is often called post-impressionist, a style separated from realism that nevertheless uses a lot of impressionistic techniques – but. Starry Night it does one job to control it. Something about these round paints… it feels like night.
So much so that scientists began to wonder: how well do the famous swirls mimic the physics of space? After an extensive review, a team of researchers from China and France released a new paper, published today in the journal Physics of Fluids, check that out.
Specifically, the team wanted to look at the extent to which Van Gogh’s brushstrokes represented atmospheric turbulence—disturbances in the atmosphere, often caused by temperature differences, that stir things up and change course. of everything from water vapor to photons.
It turns out, as difficult as it may seem, Van Gogh may have had a sophisticated understanding of how our atmosphere works. The analysis “reveals a deep and clear understanding of natural phenomena,” Yongxiang Huang, one of the study’s authors, said in a news release.
To reach their conclusion, the team compared the 14 main features of the image to a theory of space physics known as Kolmogorov’s theory. It’s a small concept that helps narrow down the concept of “energy flow” – the way energy is transferred from larger patterns to smaller ones. Kolmogorov’s theory, at a very basic level, dictates that the direction of the first main disturbance has less and less influence on other branches that become smaller and smaller that they receive.
But they were not just comparing form and concept. Instead, according to the press release, the group also used “the relative brightness, or brightness, of different colors of paint as a proxy for the kinetic energy of movement.” while the body” in order to complete a critical analysis of the piece. .
And in that case, the team found that there was more consistency to be found. In particular, they found that the bright colors used in one part corresponded well with a framework that describes movement and energy transfer at the smallest scale known as Batchelor’s scaling.
To see both Batchelor increasing and Kolmogorov’s theory being brought to life in this hole was very exciting for the scientists behind the study, since seeing both in space is rare.
Perhaps it’s no surprise that scientists studying atmospheric physics can look at a masterpiece and see… well… atmospheric physics. But as to how Van Gogh would have had the necessary understanding to paint in this way, Huang said that “his ideal state of chaos would be to study the movement of clouds and the atmosphere or instinct to hold the power of heaven.”
Either way, catching this movement is still amazing, especially considering the painting dates back to 1889. And it’s one more reason to love weird waves. Starry Night.
Jackie is a writer and editor from Pennsylvania. He loves writing about space and physics, and he loves to share the amazing wonders of the universe with anyone who will listen. He is looked after in his office by his two cats.
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