Psyche Inspired: Veronica Keff

Veronica Keff Headshot

Institution: University of Colorado, Boulder
Major: Astrophysics, Minor in Mathematics
Psyche Inspired Class: 2024-2025

Reflections on Psyche Inspired

Reflections on Project 1: The Approach

The approach

Veronica Keff

December 4th, 2024
Major: Astrophysics, minor in Mathematics
Genre/Medium: Laser Show; BEYOND Laser System Software at Fiske Planetarium. Original animation created in ToonSquid, with Psyche’s trajectory data compiled by Paige Arthur
About the work:

“The Approach” is a laser show that tells the story of the Psyche spacecraft’s trajectory around asteroid 16 Psyche. Starting with an idea of a digital painting, the piece evolved from an abstract depiction of orbits around 16 psyche to a 2 minute laser show at Fiske Planetarium showcasing the spiral path of the probe around the asteroid.

Why lasers? I wanted to reference how Psyche communicates with mission control on Earth via NASA’s DSOC (Deep Space Optical Communications) experiment. This allows spacecraft traveling the solar system to communicate with Earth via the near-infrared laser transceiver fitted on the spacecraft itself and receiving ground stations on Earth (e.g. Palomar’s Hale Telescope). Read more…

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Reflections on Project 2: Cosmic Messengers

“Cosmic Messengers” is an oil painting depicting the 16 Psyche asteroid in false colors (pink and purple). There are several vertical lines representing energy signatures of different precious metal isotopes found on 16 Psyche’s surface, which show the asteroid with inverted coloring. The Iron and Nickel lines are highlighted, with Iron-54 in red and Nickel-60 and Nickel-58 in green.

Cosmic Messengers

Veronica Keff

January 13th, 2025
Major: Astrophysics, minor in Mathematics
Genre/Medium: Acrylic and Oil Paint on Canvas
About the work:

“Cosmic Messengers” is a 24” x 30” oil painting inspired by the Psyche mission’s use of the Gamma Ray Spectrometer (part of the Gamma-Ray and Neutron Spectrometer instrument). This process involves cosmic rays (energetic light rays from dying stars) striking the Psyche asteroid and exciting atoms on its surface. As the atoms return to their ground state, they release gamma rays, which are captured by the Gamma Ray Spectrometer (GRS). In the painting, vertical lines represent this emitted energy, each corresponding to a component of Psyche’s composition, in this case metals like Iron, Nickel, and Iridium. Read more…

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Reflections on Project 3: Origins

“Do you remember? How it all began?” An old man’s eye reflects a communal hearth within a cave. “Humans were always storytellers. On dark nights, heroes lit the skies.” Figures huddle around another small fire under the stars. “Science let us dream with our eyes open.” Ancient observatories, “Searching for answers, finding more questions,” pyramids, and temples align with the constellations. “With better eyes, we saw more than stars.” Astronomical imaging evolves from Galileo’s telescope to Psyche’s multispectral imager. “A lonely island of metal calls us back home” Psyche compared to Earth’s metallic core “Do you remember? Your origins?” A future scientist handling plants aboard a spaceship reflects on humanity’s past.

Origins

Veronica Keff

March 31st, 2025
Major: Astrophysics, Minor in Mathematics
Genre/Medium: Digital comic (procreate), final version printed into foldable booklet
About the work:

“Origins” reflects on the history of observational astronomy and what Psyche may tell us about Earth’s past. 10 square frames unfold in a similar fashion to the Psyche spacecraft’s solar arrays, the reader embarking on a journey through time: through pyramids and temples, telescopes and multispectral imagers, travelling beyond Mars towards the metallic asteroid 16 Psyche. This massive hunk of metal in the asteroid belt may share properties with Earth’s core, and scientists are tasked with retracing the history of Earth and the other terrestrial planets from an object 500 million kilometers away. The Psyche mission reveals a possible future full of scientific discovery while simultaneously recalling the past of our home planet – our origin story.
While making this piece, I wanted to include elements of cave paintings and use one of the first art forms in humanity to illustrate the story of how astronomy started, and where it may take us in the future. The colors and textures of this piece are inspired by the Cueva de las Manos hand-paintings. The combined effort of the psyche team extends far into the vastness of space, beaming curiosity and discovery back to Earth.

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Reflections on Project 4: In the Laughter of the Stars

A little prince draped in a gold scarf and dressed in green stands on an asteroid scarcely larger than himself. The prince looks small compared to the vast sea of stars and the rocks that surround him. The asteroid gleams in metallic silver ink contrasted by purple and blue shadows, which reach into numerous craters on the surface.

In the Laughter of the Stars

Veronica Keff

May 27, 2025
Major: Astrophysics, Minor in Mathematics
Genre/Medium: Watercolor, Metallic ink
About the work:

“In the Laughter of the Stars” is a watercolor and metallic ink piece that recalls the classic story of The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupéry and illustrates the childlike wonder of space exploration.

“All men have the stars but they are not the same things for different people. For some, who are travelers, the stars are guides. For others they are no more than little lights in the sky. For others, who are scholars, they are problems. For businessmen they are wealth. But all these stars are silent.… only you will have stars that laugh” (Exupéry, 1938)

The stars only bear the meaning we assign to them, and to scientists and children alike, they are full of laughter. The Psyche mission and the hard work of those behind it demonstrates humanity’s extraordinary ability to seek wonder and meaning in the worlds around us.

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