Guests young and old enjoyed a wide variety of activities at Action Stations and on board HMS Warrior
Over 800 stargazing enthusiasts and curious minds visited the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard on Wednesday night for a journey through the cosmos.
Guests peered through telescopes, discovered how sailors navigate by the stars and delved deeper into the wonders of the Universe at Action Stations and on board HMS Warrior.
Organised by the University of Portsmouth’s Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation and the National Museum of the Royal Navy, the Stargazing event also saw astrophysicists and cosmologists give short talks on topics including black holes, satellites, and dark matter.
Teresa Greenfield (left) and Angela Sell taking part in the Black Hole Hunters activity
Stargazing is always such a brilliant event, and we love being able to share our cosmology and astrophysics research with people of all ages. Although it ended up being cloudy and windy on the night, there was plenty on offer to engage the guests and it was great to see so many visitors.
Saphira Hume interacting with a lunar rover
Alexander Merrett taking part in the Audio Universe activity
Dr Jen Gupta, Associate Professor in Public Engagement and Outreach at the University of Portsmouth Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, said: “Stargazing is always such a brilliant event, and we love being able to share our cosmology and astrophysics research with people of all ages. Although it ended up being cloudy and windy on the night, there was plenty on offer to engage the guests and it was great to see so many visitors.
“This free event sells out every year, which shows that there is a real passion for science out there! We hope the public feel inspired by all the amazing work that goes on in and around our city, and are grateful to all the exhibitors who gave up their evening to share their work at the event.”
Amateur astronomers from Hampshire Astronomical Group, space engineers from Airbus Defence and Space, and the Dark Skies team from the South Downs National Park were all on hand to share their expertise and answer questions.
There were also exhibits from the Royal Navy, Space South Central, Seekers Create, In-Space Missions, Eureco Technologies Ltd, the Mary Rose Museum and the Andrew Simpson Sailing Centre.
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