The Catalogue exists as a website catalogofartprojectsinouter.space and as a print issue – the first volume on Planetary Nebulae has been published.

The Catalogue collects ideas for artworks that involve the artist’s interaction with real space objects or physical phenomena. The catalogue is being developed in collaboration with scientists – astronomers, astrophysicists and specialists in celestial mechanics.

The aim of the catalogue is to create a base of ideas for the development of art in outer space.

At present, the Catalogue is structured according to the types of astronomical objects which are supposed to be interacted with. The abbreviation of the Catalogue of Artworks in Outer Space in English – Catalogue of Artprojects in Outer Space: CAPOS – is used in the title of art projects in the catalogue. The international abbreviation of the astronomical object, e.g. Planetary Nebula (PN), is followed by the catalogue number in brackets.

It is likely that a more sophisticated naming system will be required in the future as the Catalogue develops, since works of art can potentially include several astronomical objects at once.

This space presents plans for working on the Catalogue in the coming years. Some of these ideas have already been reflected in the Catalogue, while the others are undergoing scientific expert assessment or are at the stage of searching for accurate imagery.

It is intended to cover: small bodies of the solar system, planetary nebulae and dark nebulae, black holes, galaxies, star clusters.

We hope that our work will help to expand the understanding of the limits and possibilities of art based on the scientific picture of the world. And it also will give a start to the active engagement of art in space exploration.

Rostan Tavasiev