They Really Did Land: Apollo at Forty
Piers Bizony (AETV)

Lecture: In this stunningly illustrated talk, Piers Bizony, one of Britain's leading space historians, talks us through the momentous events leading up to the first lunar landing in July 1969. Using high-definition photos taken during the mission, Bizony explains why Apollo 11 was such an amazing achievement. he also looks at NASA's plans to send people back to the moon by the year 2020. THEY REALLY DID LAND is a truly thought-provoking cultural exploration of this great adventure.

Piers Bizony is the author of Atom, the best-selling book linked to the recent BBC TV series. His other books include The Man Who Ran the Moon, an investigation into the politics of the space age, and 2001: Filming the Future, an award-winning account of the making of the world's greatest space fiction film - Stanley Kubrick's 2001.

Looking for the Invisible - the Birth and Rise of Dark Matter Astronomy
Dr Roberto Trotta (Oxford Astrophysics and Imperial College London)

Details to follow. Roberto's lecture last year was extremely well received so it's a pleasure to invite him back.

11th Nov

8:30pm

The November lecture will be at the later time of 8:30pm and will be a full planetarium show about our view of space from Earth and how you can find different objects. We hope to have member(s) of the BBC Sky at Night team presenting.

The lecture will be preceded by a free "Telescope Amnesty" event where you can bring your telescope/binoculars to get advice and support from local astronomy societies, or use their equipment.

Please check back closer to date for further details, which will be put on this website as soon as they are available.

10th Sept 08

PAST

Voyage to the Edge of the Universe... and Beyond
Dr Roberto Trotta (Oxford Astrophysics and Imperial College London)

Lecture: One of the most surprising discoveries in cosmology is that most of the Universe's contents are dark - i.e., 25% of the "cosmic recipe" is made of the mysterious dark matter, while 70% is in the form of an even more puzzling "dark energy", which appears to be ripping the Universe apart. Recent cosmological observations have revealed the existence of this "dark Universe", and shown that the stuff we are made of is only a tiny fraction of the cosmos. This spectacularly illustrated lecture will take you to the edge of the visible Universe, and beyond, into the mysterious realm of the Multiverse. Join the astronomers' and particle physicists' quest to shed light on the nature of the dark matter and the dark energy of the Universe!

Dr Roberto Trotta studies the characteristics of the Big Bang and works to determine the properties of dark energy and dark matter in the Universe. He takes part to many public engagement with science activities, involving children, students and adults and he regularly gives talks about astronomy and cosmology to very diverse audiences. He is a very experienced lecturer and presenter, and his science communication activities have won several awards, including the BA Lord Kelvin award and the Michelson Prize at Case Western Reserve University.

8th Oct 08

PAST

Galaxy Zoo
Alice Sheppard (Galaxy Zoo forum)

Before the lecture: as part of World Space Week, satellite engineers from EADS Astrium are bringing displays and objects to INTECH and will be available to chat to visitors before the lecture. Find out how satellites navigate, their part in your daily life, and how to design and build something to survive 15 years in space without any maintenance.

Lecture: There are hundreds of billions of galaxies in the Universe, each one different. A telescope photographed a million of them and the Galaxy Zoo team invited the public to help them classify the pictures. It now has over 150,000 volunteers and has been so successful that other science projects might start using volunteers in the same way. What have they discovered? And how can you take part in this project - and be part of real science?

Alice Sheppard got into astronomy not by qualifications but by interest - and so can all of you. She looks after the discussion forum of the Zoo, answers questions and hopes to help make citizen science available for everyone

12th Nov 08

PAST

Are we Star-dust or Nuclear Waste? The Story of the Birth and Death of Stars
Dr Robin Catchpole (Cambridge University)

Lecture: Stars are the origin of almost everything around us and their deaths, either by slowly fading away or in giant explosions, represent the ultimate triumph of gravity over matter.

Dr Robin Catchpole, recently retired as Senior Astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, spent much of his career in South Africa, has used the Hubble Space Telescope and done research on stars and galaxies.

11th Dec 08

PAST

A (Potted) History of the Telescope
Ninian Boyle (BBC Sky at Night, Venturescope)

As an experiment, the INTECH cafe will stay open until 6:30pm this evening. Come early for hot and cold food and drinks. If there is demand, this may be repeated on other lecture dates.

Lecture: The telescope is the tool of astronomers, but was it Galileo who invented it? How did it develop and where is it heading? Ninian will guide you through the myths and reality of this most extraordinary and versatile of scientific instruments.

Ninian Boyle is an experienced astronomer and Equipment Expert for the BBC Sky at Night Magazine. He is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and a member of the British Astronomical Association, and runs the telescope dealership 'Venturescope' based here in the South.

14th Jan 09

PAST

The Search for Extraterrestrial Life in the Universe
Prof Malcolm Coe (Southampton University)

The cafe will be open before this lecture. Please note this is a trial and will not be repeated unless there is sufficient demand! Hot and cold food and drinks will be available from 5pm to 6:15pm.

Lecture: Perhaps the biggest question facing humankind is whether or not life exists elsewhere in the Universe. In the last 10 years there have been huge strides by astronomers and others towards answering this question….but we are not yet quite there. Probes to other parts of our Solar System, astronomical observations of planets around other stars, and theoretical understanding of how stellar systems evolve are all greatly helping in this quest. This talk will provide the latest scientific ideas and thoughts on this important topic.

Professor Malcolm Coe obtained his PhD in astrophysics from Imperial College, London before going off to work for NASA at the Goddard Space Flight Center for several years. Subsequently he moved to Southampton University where he has been since. He has given over 200 talks to non-specialist audiences of all ages.

11th Feb 09

PAST

Tour of the Universe
Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock MBE (Astrium)

This lecture will use our planetarium system to provide stunning visuals!

Also the cafe will be open for one last trial run before it's decided whether there is adequate demand to repeat this regularly. Hot and cold food and drink available.

Lecture: Go on a mind-expanding journey through space and time. From Earth, we travel through the solar system, out of our galaxy and beyond. As we go, Maggie gives details of the objects observed, considers the probability of finding life, and undertakes demonstrations with the audience. A great overview of the wonders of the Universe.

Dr Aderin-Pocock has spent her career making bespoke instrumentation ranging from land mine detectors to telescopes systems. Maggie works for Astrium Ltd where she leads the optical instrumentation group, where she works as a space scientist monitoring the variables of climate change. Maggie received a fellowship from the STFC enabling her do more science communication, and was recognised in this year New Years honours with an MBE. She is a great speaker who simply oozes enthusiasm.

11th March 09

PAST

What Can We Know About the Universe?
Prof Russell Stannard OBE (Open University)

Lecture: An introduction to the remarkable advances that have been made in our understanding of the universe, and also to the questions that remain - some of which might never be answered.

Professor Russell Stannard is Emeritus Professor of Physics at the Open University. A high energy nuclear physicist, he has carried out research at CERN in Geneva and at other laboratories in USA nad Europe. He is a trustee of the John Templeton Foundation - an organisation promoting better relationships between science and religion. A prolific writer for both adults and children, his books are translated into 20 languages and have been shortlisted for many religious and scientific book prizes. He is particularly known for his "Uncle Albert" books. He has been a frequent broadcaster on TV and radio and has been a regular contributor to Radio 4's Thought for the Day.

8th April 09

PAST

Black Holes, Black Magic and Interstellar Travel
Prof John Brown (Astronomer Royal for Scotland, Glasgow University)

Please book ahead - we expect this lecture to sell out. Tickets still available (54 spaces left at 9am Monday 6th April).

Lecture: Addressing the topics of gravity and relativity, their role in various cosmic bodies including black holes and their implications for travel over cosmic distances, illustrating some of the issues using magic effects.

Professor John Brown is Regius Professor of Astronomy and leader of the Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Group in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Glasgow, Scotland. As Astronomer Royal, he gives frequent planetarium shows and talks for schools, the public and amateur astronomical societies, and is also involved in using conjuring and other art forms to promote interest in science.

13th May 09

PAST

Impacts from Space and the Death of the Dinosaurs
Dr Paul Roche (Faulks Telescope Project)

Lecture: What killed the dinosaurs, and should we be worried about going the same way? Astronomers regularly discover huge lumps of rock (asteroids) and ice (comets) hurtling past the Earth. If any of them were to actually hit us, the consequences would be terrifying - tidal waves hundred of metres high, massive earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and disruption of the atmosphere, with dramatic consequences for all life on Earth.

Dr Paul Roche is Director of the Faulkes Telescopes Project, and the UK National Schools’ Astronomer (funded by the STFC research council). Based in the School of Physics & Astronomy at Cardiff University, he has spent almost 20 years researching massive stars, neutron stars and black holes. After studying for a PhD at Southampton, he was a Lecturer at Sussex University and Head of Education at the National Space Centre, Leicester. His current role involves promoting educational use of robotic, Internet-based telescopes, and developing better links between researchers and schools.

10th June 09

PAST

Toys in the Sky: The Challenges of Space to the Human Mind
Neville Poulton (EADS Astrium)

Lecture: Our exploration of the Final Frontier is almost entirely reliant on our skills in engineering & design of spacecraft; sometimes manned, sometimes unmanned, but always autonomous. So we will take a brief look behind the scenes. Some spacecraft fly low, usually looking at our planet; others fly high and provide us with incredible quality TV pictures or with mobile phone communications; some even travel the Universe in search of the Ultimate. All are ultra reliable. But how do you design structures when there’s no gravity? How do you point spacecraft in the right direction when there’s no north or south? And how do you control them?