We’re stoked to be joining the British Science Festival 2022 in Leicester this September. Celebrating everything scientific, this wonderful festival is open to everyone, offering over 100 FREE talks, activities and ‘experiences’. They’re held at venues all over Leicester’s city centre and De Montfort University’s campus. You can browse the programme and book tickets here. But we thought we’d help you with a quick survey of 10 space themed events at the festival. From the James Webb telescope to Northern Lights, space politics and black holes, the programme takes you to all corners of the universe. Including Space Cat’s trip to a shadowy comet for a book launch. All FREE but worth booking ahead to get a seat!
The Carina Nebula or ‘Cosmic Cliffs’ as captured in infrared by James Webb telescope.
Credits: NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI First Images from the James Webb Space Telescope | NASA
1. Unveiling the hidden cosmos
Tuesday, 13th September @ 11am.
Queen’s Building, Lecture Theatre 1.10, De Montfort University.
Event Synopsis:
Piyal Samara-Ratna from Space Park Leicester shares early images from the James Webb Space Telescope and highlights major projects. He’ll also explore how technology in space is helping with global issues like climate change and poverty.
2. Humanising space
Wednesday, 14th September @ 2pm.
Queen’s Building, Lecture Theatre 1.12, De Montfort University.
Event Synopsis:
From space weaponry and tourism to satellite surveillance, new laws are required to ensure that space is for everyone. Henrietta O’Connor from the University of Leicester chairs a panel of experts to discuss cosmic sociology and space politics.
3. The Sky at Night: Question Time
Wednesday, 14th September @ 5:45pm.
The Venue@DMU, De Montfort University.
Event Synopsis:
Catch this special LIVE edition of the world’s longest running science TV show. You can even send in your own question in advance to the team by emailing skyatnightqt@bbc.co.uk.
4. Decoding the Northern Lights
Thursday, 15th September @ 11am.
Vijay Patel Building, Lecture Theatre 4.05, De Montfort University.
Event Synopsis:
Learn the secrets behind nature’s finest light show! Maria-Theresia Walach from Lancaster University will explain how she is using the Northern Lights to develop computer models that help understand our atmosphere.
5. The Future of Space Science
Thursday, 15th September @ 12pm.
The Venue@DMU, De Montfort University.
Event Synopsis:
Richard Ambrosi and Sarah Casewell will survey future missions the UK will be involved in, from the James Webb Space Telescope, BepiColombo, Ariel, to ExoMars, with its exciting plan to return samples from the Red Planet.
6. The hidden universe
Thursday, 15th September from 6pm to 10pm (drop-in event).
Leicester Museum & Art Gallery.
Event Synopsis:
The James Webb Space Telescope captures images not visible to the human eye with infrared imaging. See through the telescope’s eyes in this immersive, virtual reality activity. Look deep into space clouds where stars and planets are forming…
7. SMILE-ing at space
Thursday, 15th September from 6pm to 10pm (drop-in event).
Leicester Museum & Art Gallery, Leicester.
Event Synopsis:
The Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE) mission will unlock the complex relationship between our Earth and Sun. Join SMILE’s hands-on activities to discover how the Earth’s magnetic field protects us from space weather.
8. Black hole-and-seek
Saturday, 17th September from 11am to 4:30pm (drop-in event).
The Clock Tower & Humberstone Gate, Leicester.
Event Synopsis:
Working with citizen scientists on Zooniverse platform, Adam McMaster uses Einstein’s theory to look for black holes. Learn how he’s finding rare types of stars and join his quest to identify these black holes and stars yourselves!
9. Exploring Mars and the search for life
Saturday, 17th September from 11am to 4:30pm (drop-in event).
The Clock Tower & Humberstone Gate, Leicester.
Event Synopsis:
Join the Mars team who will deliver the ExoMars rover to Mars’ surface. And explore the ongoing NASA-ESA Mars Sample Return programme – an ambitious space mission with the aim of returning samples from the Red Planet!
And don’t miss Space Cat’s own cosmic event, a book launch cum poetry voyage into the dark heart of a comet! It’s the first set of Two Spoken Word Voyages into Poetry | British Science Festival. This poetry & science event embarks at 6pm sharp on Friday 16th September at the Manhattan 34 Cellar Bar in Leicester. First up, in Rosetta – Voyage to a Comet’s Underworld, Space Cat poet Siobhan Logan relives ESA’s Rosetta mission in one action-packed hour. Expect dragons, torches, spells and – since it is a book launch – cake! The accompanying ebook, ROSETTA’S MIDNIGHT BARGE: Crossing the Comet’s Underworld, will be available from Space Cat Press’ bookstall and website.
After an interval for cake, the second voyage of the night features another De Montfort poet, Simon Perril. A fantastical journey to the antipathies takes in alchemy, the female inventor of the aquarium, eco-disaster and utopian thought. You can book tickets for this two-part FREE event via the British Science Festival website.
Space Cat Press 