Your Astronomical Guide: UK Space Events in January 2024

As the first page of 2024 gets ready to turn, isn’t it exciting to think about starting this fresh chapter in a truly out-of-this-world manner? Picture this – a January filled with thrilling space events scattered across the entire United Kingdom, each serving as a unique gateway into the boundless wonders of our universe.

These aren’t just events – they’re your personal invitations to explore the cosmos! The stories of the stars, written in the vast expanse of the night sky, are waiting to be read. So gear up, fellow space enthusiasts, because 2024 brings along a treasure trove of celestial wonders that promise to spark curiosity, inspire wonder, and ignite a passion for space exploration like never before!

Wonder Dome Mobile Planetarium

When: 5 January

Where: Thatto Heath Road St Helens WA10 3QX United Kingdom

Step inside the Wonder Dome, a mobile planetarium, and you will be transported on a cosmic journey and thrilling adventure as you explore the universe’s wonders. Inspire future space explorers and kickstart a lifelong love of space and science. The suggested age is 5-10 years. Children under eight years old must be supervised in the library at all times.

Winter Stars under Dark Skies

When: 6 January

Where: Sutton Bank National Park Centre, Sutton Bank Thirsk YO7 2EH United Kingdom

This is the darkest time of the year in the North York Moors, and you’ll be searching for a treasure trove of celestial beauties. You’ll spy clouds of gas where stars are born, distant galaxies, and colorful stars. If it’s cloudy, you will still see stars thanks to a brilliant computer-based planetarium show. This event is suitable for adults and children over six years old and is perfect for novices.

Astronomy at Stonehaugh – The Dark Universe

When: 12 January

Where: Stonehaugh Activity Centre Stonehaugh Hexham NE483DZ United Kingdom

Everything we “see” in the Universe only makes up 5% of everything that has to exist in the Universe, so the Universe behaves the way that it does! So what is the other 95%? Black holes are the focus of many SiFi movies, but do they exist, and if so, what are they? Dark matter and Dark energy are quite new to most people; these are terms used to explain the way the universe is behaving and why it is expanding. But how much do we really know? Come and have fun while you learn.

We Are Stars & We Are Guardians

When: 13 January

Where: Market Hall, Duke Street Devonport PL1 4PS United Kingdom

We Are Stars – What are we made of? Where did it all come from? Explore the secrets of our cosmic chemistry and our explosive origins. Connect life on Earth to the evolution of the Universe by following the formation of Hydrogen atoms to the synthesis of Carbon and the molecules for life.

We Are Guardians – In a world out of balance, We Are Guardians explores how ecosystems are intrinsically connected and, with the increasing use of Satellite Monitoring, examines the links between human activities and climate change.

An Introduction to Cosmology 2024 (Short Course)

When: 15 January

Where: The Royal Institution of Great Britain, 21 Albemarle Street London W1S 4BS United Kingdom

Why does 96% of the stuff in the Universe appear to be dark – utterly different to any kind of matter we have ever seen or created at particle accelerators? What happened at the beginning of the Universe, and why does it look exactly the same in all directions? Why has the Universe recently started to accelerate in its expansion? What was the Big Bang, and was there anything before it, or are there other Universes

In a famous short course, Malcolm Fairbairn will try to explain how cosmologists try to answer these questions. The course will introduce topics such as general relativity and explain why and how, without Einstein intending it to, it predicted the expansion of the Universe. He will explain how studying tiny ripples in cosmic microwave radiation can help us measure the shape of the Universe and tell us about its contents.

Astronomy for All: Talks at the Royal Observatory Edinburgh

When: 16, 23 January

Where: Royal Observatory Edinburgh, Blackford Hill Edinburgh EH9 3HJ United Kingdom

Have you ever wondered what is out there in the night sky? Or how you could build a machine to explore behind the stars? On Tuesdays throughout winter, scientists and engineers will share with you what they do and how it fits into the wider world of astronomy.

These talks are for people who are curious about the Universe and don’t assume that you know much (or anything) about the topic before you arrive. They should be suitable for you if you’re between 12 and 200 years old and you want to find out more about space science and technology.

Space – So What? (Theatre)

When: 20 January

Where: The Royal Institution, 21 Albemarle Street London W1S 4BS United Kingdom

This lecture was formerly titled Navigating the Cosmos: The Future of Space Exploration. In this talk, Professor Anu Ojha OBE from the UK Space Agency will explore the discoveries made through applications of space science, climate change, and engineering and how they have changed humanity’s perspectives of our position in the universe, and ask what difference space, science and technology have made to our everyday lives.

Is it worth all the money spent facing many challenges here on Earth? What science was British astronaut Tim Peake doing on the International Space Station (ISS) during his six-month mission there from 2015 to 2016? And will Mars ever be a home for the human race? The talk includes demonstrations of an actual spacesuit being pressurised and the opportunity for audience members to handle genuine pieces of other worlds.

This event is in collaboration with the UK Space Agency.

Space Invasion at Vancouver Quarter

When: 27 January

Where: Vancouver Quarter, 24 New Conduit Street King’s Lynn PE30 1DL United Kingdom

Learn about the galaxy in our planetarium experience. Embark on a journey of FREE space-themed activities with our biscuit decorating workshop, make and create stations, coloring workshops, and much more! Enjoy a mini photo shoot opportunity. Keep an eye out for the Star Wars characters roaming the center, they will be sure to entertain you!

So, let this auspicious beginning to 2024 be a reminder – to keep the spirit of exploration alive, hearts filled with wonder, and eyes perpetually turned towards the stars!