When the sun sets and it gets dark, do you ever wonder what’s happening above your head billions of lightyears away?

Why some stars seem brighter than others?

How something as large as a planet is created?

Questions like these can be answered, and curiosity like yours can be satisfied at the Cambridge Institute of Astronomy every Wednesday evening at 6:30pm-9:00pm between October and March on Madingley Road, Cambridge. 

 

The Cambridge Institute of Astronomy was built and set up in 1967 by Frank Hoyle, though at the time it was part of the Institute for Theoretical Astronomy and added to by different organisations and people over the years of 1972, 1999, and even as recently as 2002. 

The institute celebrates their official 50th anniversary this year, teaching eager minds about space and space exploration.

More recently, the lectures have included anything from Exo-worlds with Stefano Facchini (16th October) to Black Holes with Stephanie Buttigieg (23rd October) and even the Existence of Aliens with Maggie Celeste (30th October)!

The talks attracted a diverse audience, of all genders, different nationalities and ages ranging from 7 years old to 70+.

While more common for students, the Institute encourages and welcomes anyone from the public, to hear the half an hour to forty five minute lectures and use the historical observatory and specialised telescopes (Northumberland and Thorrowgood telescopes) to stargaze.

Or, in poor stargazing conditions, to watch video projections and have running commentary by experts as they zoom in and out of constellations, galaxies, nebulas and planets.

Even if you are unable to attend you can still head onto their social media accounts and find the talks streamed live and recorded on YouTube. 

 

Part of a group of College students - 3 out of the 121 visitors that evening - shared their thoughts and opinions of their overall experience and impressions after attending Stefano Facchini’s talk ‘On the Origin of Diversity of Exo-Worlds’:

HvdK said “The whole thing was well organised, it was great! Even though it was too rainy to go outside, the back-up plan was just as fun and interesting. Definitely coming again.”

MW added “The talk itself was amazing. He described the physics and maths side of things in a simpler way that anyone could understand. The visuals were mind-blowing.”

CB concluded “I was a bit disappointed that we couldn’t go outside to the observatory to stargaze due to the weather, but, honestly, it was pretty special to see a live and a few old clips of rockets being launched and rovers on Mars, and seeing future exploration plans. Highly recommend people to come, at least once or twice”. 

Having been myself, I completely agree. But why don't you go and find out for yourself?