AN OBSERVATORY in the North East has announced its longest calendar of events ever after the recent Northern Lights sightings triggered a surge of interest in stargazing activity.
Thousands of people across the country captured and shared images of the beautiful lights, known as aurora borealis, during the solar storms in May.
Astronomers at Kielder Observatory, in Northumberland, say the colourful displays are just a taste of things to come, with the chances of seeing the Northern Lights increasing through 2024 and into 2025 as the sun reaches the peak of its 11-year activity cycle and spits out more energetic charged particles across the solar system.
It comes as interest in space generally is increasing thanks to the excitement of new missions to the Moon and Mars, and the stunning findings of the James Webb Space Telescope.
Kielder Observatory, a public outreach astronomical facility in Kielder Forest, Northumberland, has responded to an increased interest in auroras and the night sky by launching a 12-month long package of more than 800 events, ranging from the Origins of the Universe to the Secret Lives of Stars and special Aurora Nights.
“The major aurora show in May is likely to be a taster of things to come, not a once in a lifetime event that we keep saying. It’s a really exciting time to get out there and get hunting.
“At Kielder, we can’t turn on the Northern lights with a click of a button, but we can teach you what they are, and how best to find them yourselves, as well as be in the best spot in England to catch them if they do decide to make an appearance. Kielder is positioned in the largest gold tier dark sky park in Europe with a beautifully dark northern horizon with experts and hot chocolate on hand for one of the best stargazing experiences England has to offer.”
Ishbel Carlyle, an astronomer and science communicator at Kielder who is studying for a PhD on substorms in aurorae
The charity delivers a wide range of public events, projects, and educational outreach, and since opening in 2008, has welcomed tens of thousands of people to learn about, and be inspired by, the night sky.
It has grown the number of events over the years and has opened them up to people from a wider range of backgrounds by sending its science communicators and astronomers into schools and organisations and working with marginalised members of society, such as residents of HMP Northumberland and refugees at the West End Refugee Service.
“The new space age combined with the aurora and eclipse this year has seen a boom of interest in space and stargazing. With over 12 months of events available now, there’s never been a better time for people to book their perfect date to enjoy a special Kielder moment under the darkest of skies and the opportunity to be wowed by a wide range of astronomical phenomena.”
Leigh Venus, CEO of Kielder Observatory
For more information on the events at Kielder, log onto: https://kielderobservatory.org/our-events