50 years of illuminating the path for science in Canada

On December 15, 1974, TRIUMF accelerated H- ions and extracted a proton beam from a 520 MeV cyclotron for the first time.

To commemorate this milestone an original illustration has been created. This hallmark artwork is provided here for download in several useful formats. The cyclotron; it’s novelty and capability is presented in stories about its unique colourway and interactive imagery throughout this site.

TRIUMF is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) people, who for millennia have passed on their culture, history, and traditions from one generation to the next on this site.

The World’s Most Colorful Cyclotron

TRIUMF’s steel giant was awoken on December 15th, 1974, at 3:30pm. As staff huddled around a small screen in the main control room, a spot of light appeared, indicating that a beam of particles had successfully circled the cyclotron and been extracted — Canada’s most powerful particle beam.

In 2024, the lab’s community marks 50 years of illuminating the path for science in Canada using the high-energy proton beam from the 520 MeV cyclotron. Our accelerators continue to drive powerhouse research programs, unite national research communities, and propel Canadian science to the global scale.

First in a series of illustrations, this faithful adaptation serves to elevate the cyclotron’s incomparable ‘colorway’ from its home in a concrete and steel vault located 4-storeys underground at the west edge of Vancouver, uncovered for all to see: the world’s most colourful cyclotron.

From The Artist

Inspired by sci-fi posters, comic books, and the beautiful environment surrounding TRIUMF, the concept began from an isometric view, with a forced perspective of the mountains, city, and water. The major challenge was accurately representing the intricately complicated cyclotron, With the colourway applied, a narrative emerged with the control room operators and this machine that reflects the daily unseen orchestration between science and art. 

 

Art Direction & Description

TRIUMF Communications

Illustration

Danielle Adams

Translations

Louis Croquette

Mobile Background

1920 x 1080 pixels
Mobile

JPEG

1728 x 2560 pixels
Desktop

PDF

24 x 36 inches (17mb)
Print