ENCOUNTERS 2014

 

Presentation
at the
Historic Library Airdrie Observatory
Monday 6 October

From left, Aileen (secretary) Jack (operator), Jim and Bob (curators) and me

with the famous 6" Cooke refractor at the historic Airdrie Observatory.

Image credit:  Alan Watson

 

A wonderful evening with some truly fabulous people who were warm, welcoming and enormously enthusiastic.  I was honoured to be their first female speaker, and felt amongst friends.  What a trip and what an unforgettable evening. 

A big sincere thank you to all!

 

 Image credit: Alan Watson



ASTRONOMY FM

UNDER BRITISH SKIES

Sunday 17 August 2014

2000hrs BST

 

 

COMET 67P/CHURYUMOV-GERASIMENKO

and

the ESA and NASA ROSETTA MISSION

 

Comet 67P/C-G imaged on 7 August 2014 by the Rosetta spacecraft's OSIRIS narrow-angle camera when 65 miles away from the 2.5 mile wide nucleus.

 

 

I was extremely privileged to join Richie Jarvis and Paul Harper, the hosts of Astronomy FM Under British Skies, for a live radio show in which we discussed the thrilling ESA/NASA Rosetta Mission to Comet 67P/C-G.

 

Our special guests included: Dr Colin Snodgrass, Marie Curie post-doctoral Fellow at the Max Planck Institute and co-ordinator of the ground-based observations of professional observers.  He is also a specialist on the Rosetta OSIRIS camera team; Dr Claudia Alexander, a Rosetta Project Scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and Dr Padma Yanamandra-Fisher of the Space Science Institute and Rosetta co-ordinator for amateur observers.

 

Pre-records for this programme were also contributed by Dr Matt Taylor, ESA Rosetta Project Scientist, and Dr Joel Parker, a Director at the Southwest Research Institute, Project Manager/Science Team Member on several space missions, including LRO and New Horizons, and Deputy Principal Investigator for NASA's Rosetta ALICE instrument.

 

It was a fascinating broadcast and is now available as a podcast below:

 

Click here for the Astro FM UBS Rosetta podcast

 

Look out for more Astronomy FM Under British Skies radio shows as the exciting Rosetta spacecraft drops its lander onto Comet 67P/C-G's surface and continues its journey towards perihelion in August 2015.



TOUR OF THE UNIVERSE

 With media partner BBC Sky at Night Magazine
 

 

I have been invited to team up with rocket scientist Neil Phillipson and some of the UK's most renowned astronomers to co-present a show with a difference - TOUR OF THE UNIVERSE! - with media partner BBC Sky at Night Magazine.

 

Special guest include Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock, space scientist, and Dr Chris Lintott, astronomer, both presenters of the BBC's Sky at Night television programme.

 

Also joining us will be Dr Rhodri Evans, Honorary Research Fellow of Cardiff University, Mark Thompson, astronomer, author and presenter of BBC's Stargazing Live and Will Gater, astronomer, presenter, author and journalist for the BBC Sky at Night magazine.

 

Neil says: "The show is a night like no other - we take our audience on a whistle-stop journey through space and time, sharing the incredible nature of the Universe in a humorous, passionate and inspiring way."

 

Stunning planetarium-style presentations provide the backdrop to an intimate and uniquely insightful look at the wonders of the cosmos, touching on frequently overlooked fundamentals and guiding the audience to a jaw-dropping appreciation of the night sky.  Alongside Neil and our special guests I intend to bring the images alive with an interactive, light-hearted and illuminating approach.

 

TOUR OF THE UNIVERSE launches at Dorking Halls on 4th October 2014 with nine other national theatre venues to follow, including Nottingham, Altrincham, Liverpool, Southport, Portsmouth, Cardiff, Bath and Peterborough.

 

Full details are available on the official TOUR OF THE UNIVERSE website (see below) as well as via national media, Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites!

Come along and join in the fun!

TOUR OF THE UNIVERSE: Official Website

Welcome to my blog!

 

Feel free to 'drop in' any time to catch my monthly radio appearances on Uckfield 105FM with presenter Tony Williams where we share all things astronomical, and have a great deal of fun along the way!  Simply click the Uckfield 105FM icon at left.

In yesterday's show - Monday 4 August - we discussed the two most distant red giant stars recently discovered in our Milky Way Galaxy's outer halo; a whopping 750,000 and 900,000 light-years away! 

Also on the menu was ESA's exciting Rosetta mission whereby a spacecraft is about to rendezvous with, orbit around, and drop a lander - Philae - on the surface of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko - a mission we shall follow closely in forthcoming shows.  I shall be join Richie Jarvis on Astronomy FM at 8.00pm on 17 August where I shall be privileged to join a live link-up with some of the key scientists working on the Rosetta Mission - more to follow.

Also enjoyed on our radio show was the discussion on the dramatic 'mega Moon' about to make its closest approach to Earth for many years at circa 8.00pm on 10 August.  From there we shared the delights of the Perseid Meteor shower, due to peak on 12 August, when, despite the Full Moon, some fast bright meteors and possible fireballs will still be visible as they blaze across the night sky.  And finally, the thrilling conjunction of Venus and Jupiter pre-dawn on 18 August.  Seen against the backdrop of M44, the Beehive Cluster, the fact that these two dazzling planets will appear a mere 15 arcminutes apart should make for an amazing sight.  My alarm clock will be set!

 

In addition to the exciting news about TOUR OF THE UNIVERSE - a national astronomy tour with media partner BBC Sky at Night magazine (see above) - details of other exciting events in which I am privileged to be involved will also appear here ... so dip in any time and join me for the start of more astronomical adventures!

Keep looking up!
Jane

UCKFIELD 105FM RADIO

MONTHLY RADIO INTERVIEW

Wednesday 2 July 2014

1030hrs

 

It's that time again!  Feel free to listen in to a recording of today's radio show where, with presenter Tony Williams, we share the delights of the summer Milky Way, the mighty Andromeda Galaxy and many other galaxies beyond my recollection - and much more besides!

 

The Andromeda Galaxy (M31)  Credit: Nik Szymanek

 

Simply click the Uckfield 105FM icon at left and follow the links.

Don't forget to join us next month at 1030hrs on Monday 4 August.



ENCOUNTERS 2014

 

 

Encounters is a North Lanarkshire wide cultural festival with an eclectic programme that has something for everyone.  A month long feast of activity that includes authors, films, drama, dance, music, visual art and more, offered up through events, workshops, exhibitions and initiatives across the North Lanarkshire area.

 

I have been invited to be a speaker at this year's Festival on Monday 6 October 2014.

 

The historic Airdrie Observatory

 

The event will take place in the historic library of Airdrie Observatory.

I feel honoured to have been asked and very much look forward to the evening.

More details will be provided when known.



UCKFIELD 105FM RADIO

Monday 2nd June 2014

1030hrs

 

Feel free to listen in to our monthly show where, with presenter Tony Williams, we tackle the topical issue of this month's summer solstice.

 

 

We also share tomorrow's rare triple transit of Jupiter's moons, an event next repeated in 2015 but then not again until 2032!  Noctilucent clouds and this month's planets also add to the mix, and a whole heap of fun besides! 

Simply click the Uckfield 105FM icon at left.

 

Don't forget to join us again at 1030hrs on Wednesday 2nd July 2014.

 

Keep looking up!