Page 19 - BBC Sky at Night - September 2017 UK

WHAT’S ON SEPTEMBER 19

What’s on The UK’s Beagle 2 Lander

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Manchester, 11 September, 7pm
The Beagle 2
Our pick of the best events from around the UK lander, the mission
led by the late
Prof Colin Pillinger,
PICK was sent to Mars
OF THE to search for life
in 2003 but lost
MONTH communication
with Earth on landing. In 2015, images captured
by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter showed that
Beagle 2 had in fact landed intact on the Red Planet.
Dr Dean Harris explores this astonishing story of how
the UK reached Mars. Entry is free.
www.wdas2.com

Cassini at Saturn

Stornoway Library, Cromwell Street, Stornoway,
Isle of Lewis, 5 September, 7.30pm
Stornoway
Astronomical Society
hosts a talk
exploring Cassini’s
mission to Saturn.
Donny Mackay looks
back on the launch
Þ Get new perspective on the Solar System at this year’s Herstmonceux extravaganza
and the spacecraft’s arrival at the Saturn system,
Herstmonceux Astronomy Festival 2017 including a close look at the Huygens probe’s landing
on Titan. The talk will include many incredible photos of
The Observatory Science Centre, Herstmonceux, East Sussex, 1-3 September Saturn’s rings and moons and summarise the findings of
the past 13 years. Admission is free.
The Herstmonceux Astronomy Festival, shows and solar observing sessions will www.stornowayastro.org
hosted in the beautiful former home of take place throughout the weekend, if
the Royal Observatory, is back with an you can draw yourself away from the
exciting weekend for the whole family. trade stalls, raffles and compelling Gravitational Waves:
This year’s talks will cover topics indoor and outdoor science exhibits. An Update
ranging from the Apollo missions to There will even be family workshops in
a potted history of the telescope and which you build robots and pit them 'HSW!RI!3K\VLFV!%!$VWURQRP\#!&DUGLII!8QLYHUVLW\#!
the anatomy of a solar eclipse, with against each other. 15 September, 7.30pm
speakers including former NASA For anyone wishing to camp under Gravitational waves are
Manned Space Flight Scientist David the backdrop of the iconic domes, ripples in the fabric of
Baker and The Sky at Night presenters there is a limited number of pitches spacetime, and further
Pete Lawrence and Chris Lintott. available. There is alternative evidence supporting
You’ll also be able to look through accommodation at Herstmonceux Einstein’s general theory
historic telescopes, among them the Castle, just a short walk from the of relativity. Patrick Sutton,
observatory’s Thompson 30-inch Observatory Science Centre. a member of LIGO, gives
reflector, 13-inch astrograph and the www.the-observatory.org/astronomy a fascinating talk at
Thompson 26-inch refractor. Planetarium _festival_2017 Cardiff Astronomical Society about the progress
so far and what these remnants of some of the
BEHIND THE SCENES CASSINI’S GRAND FINALE most violent processes in the Universe mean.
www.cardiff-astronomical-society.co.uk
CALTECH X 2, LIGO CALTECH MIT/SONOMASTATE(AURORE SIMONNET) OBSERVATORY SCIENCE CENTRE, CHARLIEDAVIS, ESA/DENMAN PRODUCTIONS, NASA/JPL- On 15 September the Cassini probe Visit our website at www.
THE SKY AT NIGHT IN SEPTEMBER
Four, 10 September, 10pm (first repeat
Four, 14 September, 7.30pm)*
MORE LISTINGS ONLINE
skyatnightmagazine.com/
will be purposely crashed into
whats-on for the full list of
Saturn, ending its incredible
this month’s events from
20-year mission. In this month’s
around the country.
episode of The Sky at Night, Chris
and Maggie look at Cassini’s major
To ensure that your talks,
discoveries and explore three ways
observing evenings and star
in which the mission has changed
parties are included, please
submit your event by filling
the future of space exploration.
in the submission form at
After 22 ‘deep dives’ between Saturn’s clouds
*Check www.bbc.co.uk/skyatnight
the bottom of the page.
and rings, Cassini will make a fatal plunge
for subsequent repeat times
skyatnightmagazine.com 2017