Damian Hardwick – Inventor, Investigator and Innovator: The life of Sir John Herschel
OnlineThis talk looks back at the life of one the true greats of nineteenth century astronomy. An astronomer who was an inventor, he also investigated scientific problems, and found solutions as well as being an innovator and pioneer.
Paul Money – Why Are There No Green Stars?
OnlineWe often look up at the night sky and our first impression is one of white stars until we realise a few are actually coloured. Astro images clearly show coloured stars but one things stands out as being absent: Green stars. In this talk Paul takes a look at how we see colour, why we ... Read more
Robin Hague – Skyrora: Making space sustainable
OnlineRobin Hague is the Head of Launch at Skyrora
Andy Briggs – How to photograph a Black Hole: the Story of the Event Horizon Telescope
OnlineFREE PUBLIC TALK In 2019, humanity's first image of a black hole was revealed to the world. Join Andy Briggs as he reveals exactly how the image was acquired by the Event Horizon Telescope, and the technological challenges involved in producing what is undoubtedly one of the most iconic scientific images of all time. Andy ... Read more
Dr Steve Barrett – The ABC of Galaxy Evolution
OnlineWhat are the three factors (the ABC) that determine how galaxies form and how they grow? A = Accretion – Galaxies were formed by matter accreting; B = Black Holes – Supermassive black holes are at the centres of galaxies; C = Collisions – Galaxies grow by colliding and merging.
Steve Wootton – The Scale of the Universe
Online“Space is big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist's, but that's just peanuts to space.”Douglas Adams
Prof Ian Morison – Wonders of the Southern Sky
A talk which will look at some of the most interesting objects in the southern skies and how the Small Magellanic Cloud helped solve a fundamental question about the Universe.
Alex Binks – Young Stars in our Backyard
OnlineAge is a vital property to get right in astronomy, but it's really tricky! Correctly estimating the age of a star (or a cluster of stars) means we can test our understanding of the sequence of events throughout a star's life. On larger scales this leads to clues about the evolution and ecology of our ... Read more
Prof Rene Breton – Cosmic fireworks
OnlineA talk on astronomical transients, and in particular about supernovae research.
Dr Julian Onions – Crazy Interstellar Rockets
OnlineWhat sort of rockets or spaceships could we use to go to the distant stars. We will explore some of the crazier designs that have been proposed over the years, most of which have some possibility of working. The future may be nearer than we think!
Steve Clifton – Astrophotography Then And Now
OnlineThis is a not too technical look at the imaging process in the pre-digital age and contrasting that to what can now be achieved with modern amateur equipment. Steve has had a lifelong interest in astronomy and was a keen Astrophotographer back in the 80’s and 90’s. He took up the hobby again in 2014 ... Read more
Mike Frost – Against The Odds: A Patagonian Eclipse
OnlineOn December 14th 2020, the path of a total eclipse crossed the northern part of Patagonia (Chile and Argentina). The previous year I had seen a beautiful eclipse from northern Argentina, and I was looking forward to another visit to South America. Of course, events got in the way. The coronavirus pandemic shut down travel across the ... Read more
Paul Pope Lecture – Dr Fran Bagenal – Juno Mission to Jupiter – Extended!
OnlineFREE PUBLIC TALK - https://youtu.be/oZM-yX1JFy8 NASA’s Juno mission was launched in August 2011 and has been in orbit over Jupiter's poles since 4th July 2016. The mission has now been extended until late 2025. This talk will present the main scientific results to date and what we might expect to come in the extended mission. ... Read more
Pete Williamson – The Moons of our Solar System
OnlinePete takes us on a journey through some of the major moons looking for the possibility of life. Pete Williamson FRAS is an astronomer, broadcaster, educator and consultant for educational telescope networks. See Pete's website for his full bio.
Paul Fellows – Fire and Ice: The volcanic worlds of the Solar System
OnlineThe exploration of the solar system has led to the discovery and study of volcanic processes on other worlds and in some very surprising places. What can this tell us about the formation of the planets and also about the prospects for the possibilities of life beyond Earth?
Damian Hardwick – The Life of Albert Einstein
OnlineAlbert Einstein is one of the greatest physicists in history. But it is important to remember that although he had a brilliant mind he was still only human, and throughout his life Einstein's name is synonymous with the word genius. He had triumphs as well as many tribulations, and tragedy to contend with during his ... Read more
