Our nearest neighbour, the Moon - Professor Carolin Crawford

Our only natural satellite has been an object of fascination for humankind since prehistory. Despite being the only other place in the Solar System we have visited in person, we are still making startling discoveries about the Moon - and what it reveals about our planet.

Star Dust - Professor Carolin Crawford

Interstellar space is not truly a vacuum devoid of matter. Mixed into vast diffuse clouds of atomic gas are minute grains of silicate and carbonate materials known as ‘dust’, alongside complex molecules deep in the cold hearts of nebulae. We shall look at how we can detect and observe this tenuous material, through the processes by which dust scatters and absorbs visible light, and emits its own infrared glow. This interstellar matter is of fundamental importance to us all, as it is the reservoir from which all planets form... and any lifeforms living on those planets.

The Inconsistent Sun - Professor Claudio Vita-Finzi

Changes in the Sun's output can endanger health, power supplies and satellite systems. To prepare adequately for such events and to make judicious use of solar energy we need to investigate the Sun's 4.7 billion year history.

Large telescopes and why we need them - Professor Carolin Crawford

An investigation through history and to the present-day and beyond, of the the science driving the need for such large telescopes as the Extremely Large Telescope or the Square Kilometre Array. We will also look at the many scientific and engineering challenges are involved in the design and construction of such large telescopes and their mirrors.

The End of Space and Time? - Professor Robbert Dijkgraaf

Where does string theory and particle physics leave our ideas of space and time?

Clusters of Galaxies - Professor Carolin Crawford

The fascinating science behind galaxies, the largest organised structures in the Universe that appear gravitationally bound.

Rotation in Space - Professor Carolin Crawford

What the rotations of planets, stars and galaxies can tell us about the nature of the universe, from the Big Bang to the existence of Dark Matter.

The Sounds of the Universe - Professor Carolin Crawford

From black holes humming to pulsars spinning: what are the sounds of space and how can we use them?

A voyage round Saturn, its rings and moons - Professor Carolin Crawford

Saturn is the most beautiful planet in our Solar System. Famous for its bright yet ethereal rings, the gas giant has over sixty natural satellites in orbit around it – and one artificial satellite: NASA’s Cassini spacecraft, which provides many of the results and images that will be showcased in this talk. We shall explore the weather observed in the atmosphere of Saturn, the curious structures that develop within the rings, and its wide variety of moons – from smog-shrouded Titan, two-sided Iapetus, to busy Prometheus, and the icy plumes erupting from frozen Enceladus.

To Infinity and Beyond - Professor Ian Morison

An overview of the development of cosmology over the last 100 years, from the Big Bang models to the discovery of Dark Energy.

The Book Of Universes - Professor John Barrow

A lecture about universes: theories, realities and possibilities, from Newton to Einstein and beyond.

Hubble's Heritage - Professor Ian Morison

A lecture on the legacy of both Edwin Hubble and the Space Telescope that bears his name.

The Violent Universe - Professor Ian Morison

A look at the most violent events that occur in our Universe, from supernovae to the Big Bang.

Unsolved Mysteries of the Universe - Professor Ian Morison

A look at some of the great unknowns of the universe and how we are looking to answer them.

Voyages to the Outer Solar System - Professor Ian Morison

A tour with three spacecraft, looking at planets previously unseen in such detail.