Stargazing goes LIVE in Wales

One of the most popular factual BBC series of last year – Stargazing LIVE – is due to return to our screens next week and, to help mark the celestial celebrations, the Institute of Physics in Wales (IOP in Wales) is working together with universities and other organisations to run a series of three stargazing events.

The events present an opportunity for total beginners, amateur astronomers and professional stargazers to explore the night sky together at three different locations across Wales – Llanelli in the west of Wales on Monday 16 January, Wrexham in the north on Wednesday 18 January, and Wick in the south on Friday 20 January.

The three events – at the WWT National Wetland Centre Wales near Llanelli, Glynd?r University in Wrexham and the Sports Pavilion in Wick – will include opportunities to observe the night sky (weather permitting!) and hear a selection of talks which, depending on the venue, encompass black holes, dark energy, photographing the night sky and supernovae.

Full information about locations and times of all three events.

Visitors to the events will be sharing the experience with tens of thousands of fellow stargazers as part of the UK-wide extravaganza that is tied into the BBC 2 show Stargazing LIVE. This year’s series, presented again by Professor Brian Cox and Dara O’Briain, will be broadcast live from the Control Room of the Jodrell Bank Observatory on the 16, 17 and 18 January on BBC 2.

Welsh school children can join others around the UK in a live Q & A with Professor Brian Cox on Thursday 19 January at 2pm.  Professor Cox will present a dynamic, live interactive lesson that all schools can join in at www.bbc.co.uk/stargazing or via the BBC Red button.