If you attended Bolton’s Put Big Light On festival this year, you may have caught a glimpse of the seven-metre sculpture of Mars in Bolton Central Library.

The artwork features detailed NASA imagery of the Martian surface.

Scaled down to about one millionth of Mars’s true size, the glowing sphere turns every centimetre into 10 kilometres of the planet’s surface.

The piece offers a bird’s-eye perspective of the Red Planet, as if you were orbiting in a satellite and charting its rugged terrain.

From craters and valleys to towering volcanoes and mountains, the landscape is revealed in striking detail.

The installation immerses viewers in a barren, desert-like world, sparking the imagination of what it would be like to stand on the surface of Mars.

But this isn’t the first time Jerram’s work has wowed Bolton residents.

In 2023, his Museum of the Moon, a seven-metre sculpture featuring NASA imagery of the lunar surface, was part of the light festival.

Last year, Gaia, showcasing Earth’s surface, visited Bolton for the same event.

Perhaps next year, Jerram’s sculpture of the Sun, Helios, will make an appearance.

Helios, in the Ball Room at Bath Assembly Rooms (Image: (Ben Birchall/PA))

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Mars pictured by Henry Lisowski at Put Big Light On 2025 (Image: Henry Lisowski)

Jerram’s creations blend engineering and art, resulting in awe-inspiring pieces that tour the globe.

Based in Bristol, he stages over 100 exhibitions in around 30 countries each year.

His large-scale sculptures are not only works of art but also serve as venues, encouraging events and gatherings beneath them.

For those wishing to experience Mars, visit Bolton Library during opening hours or attend one of the scheduled events.

Saturday, Nov 29 – Space Activity Day for families 11-3pm

Saturday Nov 29 – Goofus Theatre ‘All in Mouse Night’ (multiple show times)

Tuesday, Dec 2 – Baby Time (Space-themed) – 10.30am

Wednesday, Dec 3 – Film: Total Recall [18] – 2pm

Wednesday, Dec 3 – Toddler Tales (Space Themed)- 11.30am

Wednesday, Dec 3 – The War of the Worlds – 6.30pm
(£7.50 -Booking Required via Eventbrite)