Giant moon replica on historic waterway in UK deflates in extreme weather

A giant replica of the moon installed on a historic waterway in a Somerset town has deflated in the “extreme” winds brought by Storm Ashley.

The ‘Fallen Moon’ installation by Bristol-based artist Luke Jerram had “captivated” visitors and drawn more than 10,000 visitors to Bridgwater Docks since being unveiled on Tuesday, Bridgwater Town Council said.

But having “clearly brought joy and astonishment to so many” in the days since opening, the council lamented on Sunday that the installation may have been brought to an untimely end.

The council said in a statement: “We regret to inform the public that due to an unforeseen and highly challenging electrical and technical failure now augmented by the extreme weather and particularly winds, Luke Jerram’s ‘Fallen Moon’ installation at Bridgwater Docks has unfortunately deflated.

“Our team is currently investigating the cause of this malfunction and assessing the extent of the damage. This is a technically challenging project with it being the first water-based installation of Luke’s Image, we knew technical challenges might occur.

“However, the safety of our visitors and the integrity of the artwork are of utmost importance to us. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience and disappointment this may cause to those who were planning to visit the Fallen Moon.

“Whilst we will examine other possibilities over the next 48 hours we have to be realistic with the challenges of this installation and it [may be that], in its current iteration, the project has come to an end. Further updates will be provided as soon as they become available.”

Created using NASA data, the lit sculpture is a “technically challenging” replica with a diameter of 10 metres, making it 350,000 times smaller than the real moon. Each centimetre depicts 3.5 kilometres of the lunar landscape.

The installation, which was intended to remain on display in Bridgwater until 3 November, is described as “a fusion of lunar imagery, moonlight and surround-sound composition created by Bafta award-winning composer Dan Jones”.

Writing on X, Jerram said that the exhibition had to be cut short due to a technical malfunction and Storm Ashley, adding: “Sorry to see it leave. Over 10,000 people enjoyed the artwork whilst it was there. Thanks to everyone’s work in bringing the artwork to the town.”

Bridgwater Docks was planned as the first place to exhibit the installation in the UK ahead of a £5.2m regeneration project at the docks, which first opened in 1841.

Storm Ashley caused widespread disruption on Sunday as it brought 70mph winds and rain in conjunction with high spring tides. The annual Great South Run was cancelled over safety concerns, while dozens of flights were grounded and the River Severn burst its banks, with floodwaters submerging the town of Worcester.

The Independent