SUSSEX LIFE

January 2013 issue

 

Astronomy Interview

by

Angela Wintle
 

 Image credit: www.eastmanphotography.co.uk
 

Now available at all major retail outlets.

Full interview between Angela and myself to be published here on 25 January.

BBC STARGAZING LIVE 2013

 

AMEX Community Stadium

near Brighton

Thursday 10th January 2013

4.30pm - 8.00pm

FULLY BOOKED

I have been invited by the BBC to be a speaker at this BBC led partner Event forming part of BBC2's 'Stargazing Live 2013'.  We join hundreds of other organisations also offering activities up and down the country, including local communities, astronomical societies, science centres and schools all celebrating the wonderful science of astronomy.
To find an event near you visit www: bbc.co.uk/stargazing. 

 

A full report will follow.

Sir Patrick Moore

1923 - 2012

 

I joined two classes of nine to ten-year-olds very recently at a primary school just outside Chichester.  It was very informal.  We simply huddled close around a screen at the front of the classroom as I tried to take them on a tour of the stars ... but was constantly thwarted by their insistent and insighful questioning.  Wonderful stuff!  I had so much more to share, but was drawn up short with the lifecycle of the stars ... the planets, Milky Way Galaxy and the Universe would have to wait for another day!

 

But all the children knew of Sir Patrick's sad passing.  They felt they had lost a friend.  An icon.  They had.  We all have.  It signals the end of an era.  I, for one, feel privileged to have met him, several times, to have sat in his study and shared a few cups of tea, and much laughter (!), to have lectured alongside him and enjoyed a terrifically funny Q&A session and lengthy book-signing at the Portsmouth Space City Event.  His terrific contribution to my book - an overwhelming act of kindness and enthusiasm for a first-time author - was an honour that will never be forgotten. 

 

He was genuine, never pulled his astronomical punches, patient and forever inspirational.  He is still with us, and always will be.  Thank you ...   

ASTRONOMY PRESENTATION

to raise funds for

Multiple Sclerosis
The Birley Centre, Eastbourne

Tuesday 23rd October 2012

Don't be fooled by the almost empty front row!  The screen was so large the audience elected to sit a little further back as well as fill the upper balcony!  What a night it was!  A large enthusiastic crowd joined me to share a journey into our Star and other stars 'out there', from birth to life and subsequent demise.  After an hour we reached the interval, whereby twenty minutes later, we journeyed onward for another hour, taking in dimension and perspective on the planets Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn before exiting the Solar System and heading into the 'great beyond' ... and beyond ... and beyond.  The Milky Way Galaxy, with the lightyear intimately explained, was soon forsaken for the Local Group, clusters and superclusters of galaxies and the entire cosmic web thus far known.  I had feared my audience might run for the proverbial trees at half-time!  Not a bit of it!  With the aid of some gorgeous images from NASA/ESA's Hubble Space Telescope and the magical photography of ace astro-imager Nik Szymanek, we soaked up a wondrous voyage - and raised SIGNIFICANT funds for the Multiple Sclerosis Society Eastbourne and South Wealden Branch - a cause very dear to my heart.

A big thank you to Toni and Ray Morgan - it was their idea and it went down a storm!  A big thank you to Peter Austin, Chairman of the Society, who worked equally hard behind the scenes to pull it off on the night.  Also rallying the troops was Sally Goldrick - bless you for all that you did when it could not have been an easy task.  Thank you to Nik - whose images, offered free of charge, received the greatest gasps of delight.  Thank you to Hal, my technician, who pulled out all the cosmological stops and ensured we journeyed without a hitch.  Thanks to Simon and Elena for capturing a couple of moments of that journey on their iPhone and for travelling a great terrestrial distance to be with me!  And an enormous thank you to everyone else for making the effort, for staying the course and for really making a difference.  It was a night to remember.  Thank you all.

UPCOMING PRESENTATION

in aid of

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

EASTBOURNE and SOUTH WEALDEN BRANCH

Tuesday 23rd October 2012
7.30pm
The Birley Centre
Carlisle Road, Eastbourne, BN21 4JY
Tickets: £6.00 adult, £4.00 children
Available from The MS Centre, Map House
34-36 St Leonards Road, Eastbourne, BN21 3UT
Mon-Fri 10.00am to 3.00pm
Tel: 01323 439447

UCKFIELD FM RADIO SHOW

with

GARY KING

Tuesday 7th August 2012

My usual partner-in-crime, Radio DJ, Jon Royal, was unable to make this month's show, so instead of Uckfield FM's Royal's Astronomer, I became King's Astronomer!

Feel free to listen here (click here) to our edited broadcast where we shared NASA's Curiosity rover's historic landing on Mars and the upcoming Perseid Meteor Shower ... and where I mistakenly described Curiosity as being about the size of bus when what I meant to say was that the rover itself is around the size of a small mini-bus ... or a Mini car, if you prefer. 

Keep looking up! 



ASTRONOMY MANUAL off to China

Well, after three English version re-prints, welcome to the Chinese one, published by one of the largest publishers in China.  Wow!  As always, an enormous thank you to Haynes Publishing and all those very kind and generous people who enabled me to make this wonderful journey.

JUNIOR SCHOOL ASTRONOMY

Back to school and the most rewarding astronomy talk I have ever done!

Full write up below.

JUNIOR SCHOOL ASTRONOMY

Back to the classroom with astronomy!

See full write up below.

POLEGATE JUNIOR SCHOOL - Monday 20th February

This has to be the most rewarding astronomy presentation that I have EVER done. It was so far from a presentation. The moment I sat down amidst two classes of 9/10 year olds and announced we were going to take a very big journey, I knew that I was about to take a very big journey too.
This was my first astro-outing with youngsters. I was a little anxious about the right approach, concerned that I might talk 'at them' rather than to them. I hadn't wanted it that way ... so started by sitting with them and asking a question or two. I needn't have worried. I don't think there was ever a moment when at least ten eager young hands were not in the air busting out of themselves with questions! What a fabulous group of youngsters! So insightful with their questions too! Their enthusiasm was overwhelming. The joy and wonder in their eyes was so heart-warming, not to say tear-jerking at one point.
We spent an hour trying to reach the planets - but I had to stop so many times because of the constant, wonderful questioning! What a journey! After an hour, we had to surrender the big assembly hall for another class to enter. The teacher asked if I minded continuing - of course, I didn't, but I was concerned that the youngsters might have had enough and said as much ... to which they overwhelmingly screamed and shouted, "No, they hadn't!" So we resumed in a classroom, where I then had to clamber in over them because there wasn't an inch of space where they all crammed in on the floor!
I stepped in amongst them and asked if their brains were hurting yet? Again, an overwhelming, "No!" resounded! How fantastic is that? So on we travelled from Jupiter.
I have to say, this truly was the most moving, rewarding, uplifting presentation I have ever given. To witness those lovely young faces hanging on to every word, laughing, gasping and just busting out of themselves with enthusiasm was just so uplifting.
And how bright they are! Two hours later we finally made our Milky Way Galaxy and the concept of the lightyear which was grasped instantly! If only I could convey their faces and their awe!
Nik Szymanek, renowned astro-imager, had warned me there would be questions. Lots of questions. Oh, how right he was! I was overwhelmed. Ultimately, we were forced to stop with still at least twenty hands waving wildly in the air! How brilliant is that?
Just the most amazing experience. The children thanked me profusely. But, for me, it was the other way around. I thanked them - for reaffirming my love of astronomy, of life, and for all the fun and joy they imparted to me throughout the afternoon. How heartwarming is it to know that these young minds are so enquiring, so open to inspiration and to knowledge. Never think that our children are not interested because, oh my Lord, they are! They are desperately interested! To the point that one child, I was informed, had what is known as 'attention deficit disorder'. The child normally would not concentrate or keep still for more than a few minutes during lessons. This afternoon, that child was riveted for the entire two hours, sat perfectly still and only stirred to gasp at the concepts. How fabulous is this!
So ... an enormous thank you to all those wonderful children who made me feel so welcome and who made it such an unforgettable afternoon. It is an astronomy talk that will stay with me, always.

TIMELESSNESS

NATIONAL TRUST - Richmond - Saturday 18th Feb

After an enormous lunch in a somewhat 'warm' environment, I had expected some of my packed, shall we say, a little more mature, audience to fall asleep during the afternoon presentation. I could not have blamed them! But not a bit of it. Bless them all. My astro audience were as bright as a button throughout the entire one-hour astronomical journey ... and what a terrific gathering they were! Such warmth and enthusiasm bounded back. Laughter resounded, along with all the gasps as concepts were conveyed. Honest to goodness, I hope that if I reach octogenarian years I'm half as sprightly as my terrific audience, that my faculties are still working as theirs most certainly were and that I'm still able to reach out and grasp life and astronomy in the way that they did! Thank you one and all for being such a terrific audience, and thank you Pat and Bill for all your help that made the event just so enjoyable!

BBC STARGAZING LIVE - Fontwell Racecourse
BBC SUSSEX RADIO

Yesterday, Tuesday 17th January, started with an 0630-0645hrs BBC Sussex outside radio interview with reporter Simon Jenkins at the foot of the South Downs. Blessed with silence, perfect 'seeing' and stunning views of Mars, Saturn, the crescent Moon, Antares, and an incredibly timely pass of the International Space Station, it was one hell of a way to start the day! Saturn's rings were gorgeous through the telescope and Simon's enthusiasm was infectious. Astronomy just doesn't get any better than this!
The live and recorded interview was prelude to the evening BBC Stargazing event at Fontwell Racecourse where I was privileged to be a Guest Speaker supporting Dr John Mason of the South Downs Planetarium and BBC Sky at Night fame. With the exception of a twenty-minute window, the sky was clouded out, but in that time a number of the roughly 2,000 visitors enjoyed stunning views of Jupiter and the four largest satellites through Dobsonian and Meade telescopes. Despite the lack of stars, public interest was amazing. All incredibly heartening, and what a time to be involved in astronomy!
Thank you to everyone!