Sun and earth transported over Glenshane Pass by astrophysics lecturer

Part of the Our Place in Space sculpture installation was transported over the Sperrins on Monday

If you were driving over the Glenshane Pass this week and saw the earth and the sun strapped onto a lorry - it wasn't an illusion.

It was the Our Place in Space art installation on the move from Londonderry to its new home in Belfast.

The 10km-long (six miles) scale version of the solar system was set up along Lough Foyle in Derry in April.

Lorry driver Ryan Milligan, also university lecturer in astrophysics, was charged with delivering the cargo.

Our Place in Space is one of five events commissioned in Northern Ireland for the Unboxed: Creativity in the UK festival in 2022.

The trail is made up of sculptures around 4m (13ft) high with scale models of the Sun and each of the planets of the solar system.

Ryan Milligan was a lorry driver by trade before he became a scientist

Dr Milligan, a lecturer at Queen's University Belfast, told BBC Radio Foyle he was approached by Our Place in Space organisers when they realised that he could drive a lorry.

"They heard there was a solar physicist at Queens that happened to have an HGV license and jumped at the opportunity to get me involved," Dr Milligan said.

"I was actually a truck driver before I became a scientist, I was driving lorries throughout my university degree to help pay the bills so I have always kept my hand in with lorry driving over the years as a hobby.

"I was actually doing a lot more over the Covid-19 pandemic when I was helping out with supermarket deliveries."

The solar system trail opened on Earth Day last month

Dr Milligan said he jumped at the opportunity to be involved with the My Place in Space project.

"My research actually involves studying the sun and solar activity, so to get to transport the star at the centre of our solar system from Derry to Belfast was certainly a highlight for me."

A number of events were organised around the trail's opening in Derry back in April, including a world record attempt.

Hundreds of suitably-dressed people landed on the Bay Road, where the trail began, and broke the world record for the most number of astronauts with 716 astronauts.

Blue Peter presenter Adam B was among hundreds who took part in the world record astronaut attempt where the sculpture trail began

Dr Milligan said he was slightly nervous carrying such precious cargo, but is just happy it has now arrived safely in Belfast.

"It took us a couple of hours to make sure it was secure and strapped down tightly on the platform," he said.

Part of the Our Place in Space sculpture installation was transported over the Sperrins on Monday

"I certainly got a few funny looks and double-takes as I made my way over the Glenshane," he joked.

The trail will now move set up to Belfast this month, then Cambridge in England before coming back to Northern Ireland to be set up along the coast of County Down later in 2022.