Technology The Astronomical Art of Don Dixon

016-sunjammer-dixon – The pressure of sunlight on a solar sail carries tourists to the Earth from the moon, seen reflected in the sail. A technical concept painting depicting a massive, circular solar sail spacecraft navigating interplanetary space. The primary craft features a vast, lightweight reflecting sail structured with radial and concentric rigging, centered on a gold cylindrical payload module. Another, distant sailship is visible in the lower left quadrant against the black starfield. The crescent limb of the Moon is reflected in the sail along with the glaring sun, whose light pushes the craft. A full Earth is visible through a central hole in the sail. Oil on canvas panel, 24x36 inches, 1972.

103-nuclear-pulse-rocket-dixon – a rocket detonates a succession of nuclear bombs to generate thrust ( Project Orion ) ; An architectural and propulsion concept depicting a spacecraft powered by nuclear pulse detonation in deep space. The vehicle is propelled by successive, expanding plasma fireballs generated behind a heavy pusher plate mechanism at its stern. In the foreground, a tracking dish antenna on a companion ship is illuminated by a cool green hue, observing the distant, high-energy departure against a sparse background starfield.; acrylic on board, 1979, digitally restored 2026

Cyclotron

418-cyclotron-diagram-dixon – In a cyclotron, or toroidal particle collider, such as the LHC in Geneva, streams of protons are accelerated in oppoisite directions by magnetic fields and then are deflected to collide head-on. A technical three-dimensional diagram illustrating subatomic particle acceleration within a circular ring accelerator or synchrotron. The cutaway view reveals two counter-rotating particle beams, represented by illuminated orange and blue trajectories, traveling through a toroidal vacuum chamber wrapped in electromagnetic focusing coils. The beams converge at a designated collision point surrounded by an array labeled "DETECTORS," where a high-energy particle impact event is visualized.The resulting burst of sub-atomic particles tells us much about the nature of the universe. Digital, for Scientific American, 2005.

322-astro-mmu-dixon – A dramatic illustration depicting an astronaut operating a Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) backpack during an untethered spacewalk high above Earth. The Space Shuttle orbiter Challenger flies nearby with its payload bay doors fully open, silhouetted against a brilliant, flaring Sun that breaks across the orbital horizon. Below the spacecraft, a vast expanse of cloud formations casts deep shadows over the planet's blue surface, underscored by a glowing orange atmospheric limb. Hamilton Collection plate commemorating first free flying extra vehicular activity on shuttle mission. acrylic and gouache, 1994, digitally restored 2026

321-apollo-soyuz-dixon – A commemorative historical montage celebrating the 1975 Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in Earth orbit. The lower half features the docked American Apollo command/service module and Soviet Soyuz spacecraft flying above a curved, cloud-draped Earth landscape illuminated by vibrant iridescent atmospheric hues. Merged into the dark space background above is an illustrative inset depicting the historic handshake between an American astronaut and a Soviet cosmonaut inside the open docking module hatch, framed by shimmering starlight and a colorful cosmic nebula. The arching stars commemorate astronauts who died on missions. Hamilton Collection plate, acrylic and gouache on board, 1994.

316-spacestation-dixon – software cover featuring old design of International Space Station (known then as "Freedom"). A conceptual space art painting depicting an early configuration of a modular space station, resembling the International Space Station design, in low Earth orbit. A Space Shuttle orbiter is shown approaching from below, its payload bay empty as it prepares to dock with the sprawling complex of pressurized modules, radiators, and large solar array panels. The entire scene is dramatically backlit by an intense, rayed solar sunrise bursting over the curved blue horizon of the Earth, with a small gibbous Moon visible in the upper left quadrant. acrylic and gouache, 1994

305-aircraft-montage-dixon – modern military craft for technology advertisement. An aviation montage illustration showcasing diverse military aircraft flying through a bright, sun-lit sky above an expanse of green terrain. The composition features a sleek, supersonic variable-sweep wing bomber in the center right foreground, flanked by a low-flying attack helicopter mid-frame and an F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet to the right. In the upper left, a pair of F-16 Fighting Falcons soar past cumulus cloud formations, leaving subtle vapor trails behind them. acrylic and gouache, 1995

301-sub-chase-dixon – cover art for digital spinoff of the original Mattell game. A tactical naval montage illustrating a submarine engagement beneath and above the ocean surface. A large attack submarine dives diagonally through deep blue water illuminated by dramatic light rays, flanked by an overlaid glowing orange radar or sonar scope that establishes a target trajectory. To the right, a circular periscope reticle overlay shows a crosshair view of a surface naval vessel on a choppy horizon line, experiencing a bright explosion at its waterline. acrylic and gouache, around 1995

300-shuttle-montage – Hamilton Collection commemorative plate showing stages of the maiden flight of Space Shuttle Colombia. A comprehensive operational montage illustrating the sequential flight phases of the Space Shuttle system. The composition showcases a vertical launch on the lower left, solid rocket booster separation and external tank jettison in the upper quadrant, a central orbiter with open payload bay doors in low Earth orbit, a glowing orange plasma sheath during atmospheric reentry on the right, and a final landing approach on a desert runway at the bottom. The various stages are arranged dynamically against a transitioning backdrop of blue atmosphere, the curved Earth limb, and a dark starfield. acrylic and gouache, 1994

259-skylab-montage-dixon – A composite space illustration honoring America's Skylab space station program in low Earth orbit. The left side depicts the orbital workshop with its Apollo Telescope Mount solar arrays extended, flying above a vibrant, curved Earth limb experiencing an intense solar sunrise. On the right, an astronaut in an Apollo-era spacesuit conducts an extravehicular activity (EVA), framed by the geometric structural lines of an interior truss or observation platform. acrylic and gouache, 1994

213-hst-over-earth-dixon-sternbach –A vertical space art composition featuring the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) operating in low Earth orbit with its main aperture door open. Below, a Space Shuttle orbiter flies over a highly detailed, snow-covered mountain range, illuminated by the low angle of a distant sun. A full Moon is visible near the planet's atmospheric limb, while the dark background sky is dominated by a sweeping, red emission nebula embedded with young stars. Painted in collaboration with Rick Sternbach, copyright Perkin-Elmer Corporation 1984

207-return-to-earthport-dixon – a returning Mars expedition docks at a space station. Acrylic, 1987.

206-shuttle-and-comet-dixon – Shuttle And Comet - Spacelab mission during apparition of Halley's Comet (mission never flown). A stunning space illustration depicting a Space Shuttle orbiter carrying an ESA Spacelab module in its payload bay, maneuvers in Earth orbit. The spacecraft flies along a glowing orange and yellow atmospheric horizon line that splits the blue planet from deep space. In the dark starfield background, there is a brilliant comet with a prominent ice-blue plasma and dust tail, creating a striking cosmic juxtaposition. acrylic and gouache, 1985. digitally remastered, 2026

205-orbital-factory-dixon – A sophisticated technological concept painting depicting a massive industrial orbital manufacturing facility in low Earth orbit. The intricately detailed vessel features glowing green optical apertures, dense structural scaffolding, and a prominent cylindrical docking port at its bow. A mass driver delivers exotic new products and materials to other habitats. Below the installation, the curved horizon of a blue, cloud-swept Earth stretches across the lower frame, backlit by a brilliant, glaring Sun situated in the upper right quadrant of the deep starfield. Acrylic and gouache, 1984

204-gravitational-lens-dixon – one-tenth of a light year out, a giant detector captures photons refracted by the sun's gravity to image distant galaxies. acrylic and gouache, 1983

200-planetenteleskop-dixon - German space telescope orbits high above the earth. A painting depicting a space telescope optimized for planetary observation operating in deep space. The spacecraft features a gold foil-wrapped central bus, extended rectangular solar panel arrays on open metal frameworks, a dark open primary aperture, and a cone-shaped sunshield pointing away from its targets. Earth and Moon are in the background,l set against a dense starfield and a sweeping band of the Milky Way galaxy. acrylic and gouache, 1987

112-island-one-dixon – A grand space habitat concept painting depicting an"Island One" colony, floating in deep space. The station features a massive rotating toroidal hull connected by spokes to a central axis dock, designed to provide artificial gravity for inhabitants. A large, separate circular solar collector mirror array hovers above the structure to reflect sunlight into the interior, while a thin crescent Earth is visible at the bottom of the dense background starfield. acrylic, 1980

110-tacking-sunward-dixon – An astronomical concept painting depicting an advanced solar sail spacecraft navigating byond the Moon. The large, reflective golden sail is configured in a segmented hexagonal structure with adjustable outer trim vanes for steering. Earth and Moon are in the background ; acrylic on board, 1980

Project Cyclops

109-project-cyclops-dixon - an enormous metalized balloon shields a giant radiotelescope from earth's radio interference, in a search for alien signals ; cover painting for "Science Digest", acrylic on masonite, 1978

101-solar-sailor-dixon– An astronautical concept illustration featuring a large solar sail spacecraft navigating another solar system. The vessel is designed with a curved, crescent-shaped golden sail structural frame segmented into panels to collect solar radiation pressure, with a small instrument payload attached at its center. Below the spacecraft, a massive terrestrial planet marked by sweeping desert canyons, intricate rust-colored surface fractures, and a thin blue atmospheric haze dominates the lower left frame, while two small, heavily cratered rocky moons are visible in the deep background starfield. ; acrylic on board, 1979

560-space-colony-cover-dixon - The interior landscape of a massive, rotating cylindrical space colony arches upward into the background, showcasing a curved overhead sky dominated by the linear streaks of a starlight window and a central structural column. Lush green, terraced hillsides on the left feature modern, stilt-supported residential modules, while a woman in a red gown tends to hanging plants on a balcony in the immediate foreground. In the distant center and right, an organized urban layout with modular architecture extends along the cylinder’s interior curve beneath a bright, reflected solar source. cover painting for Colonies in Space by T.A. Heppenheimer, 1977, acrylic and gouache on board.

Black Holes, Exotic Stars