Space Rocks – Celebrate the Wonders of Space with At-Bristol!

At-Bristol will be celebrating all-things space throughout the month of October, with a series of space-themed events (including World Space Week which takes place from 4-10 October) and activities – including brand new stargazing and astronomy shows and new events in the UK’s first digital 3D Planetarium.

Exclusive filming options are available inside the Planetarium using footage from the new Autumn Stargazing show, which includes constellations you can see in the sky now; exotic exoplanets (including the recently discovered planet Proxima b); eclipsing binary stars; and even colliding galaxies! Expert interview and commentary will also be available from At-Bristol’s Planetarium and Live Science Team.

Running from 4-10 October, World Space Week is an international celebration of science and technology. The United Nations General Assembly declared in 1999 that World Space Week will be held each year from October 4-10, which celebrates the date of the first human-made Earth satellite, Sputnik 1 on 4 October 1957, and the signing of the (rather long) ‘Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies’ on 10 October 1976.

At-Bristol will be running regular presenter-led shows in the Planetarium*, with the brand new Autumn Stargazing 3D showcasing what’s in the night sky right now, as well as topical sections featuring the latest astronomical news and discoveries. There will also be the ‘Space Explorers’ show (2D) for under 6s, allowing them to venture in to space and become fully trained space explorers!

Brand new for World Space Week will be ‘Exploring the Galaxy’, an advanced-level Planetarium show aimed at adults and children aged 12+. The newly developed show will look at the technology behind modern astronomy, from high-tech telescopes to CCD sensors, and investigate how astronomers use light to explore the cosmos. Visitors will be able to travel at the speed of light to visit distant stars… and beyond! The new show will be available to schools during the day, and the public during Planetarium Night evening events with an extended version of the show, and also After Hours: Future – taking place on Thursday 6 October.  

Other special space events taking place throughout October include:

• Two space-themed sleepovers, one for Brownies and one for Beavers (both fully booked).  
• Roaming space activities throughout the venue, with the Live Science Team - hold a real meteorite, launch a pop rocket, and sample space ice-cream!
• Weekly Planetarium Nights evening events, featuring Autumn Stargazing 3D and Exploring the Galaxy 3D.   

*Planetarium shows costs £2.50 per seat for 2D shows, and £3.50 per seat for 3D shows, in addition to general entry to At-Bristol (except for Planetarium Nights, which are Planetarium-only evening events for adults). For more info and to buy tickets, visit at-bristol.org.uk or call 0117 915 1000 (9am – 5pm Mon – Fri, excluding bank holidays).

For more information on World Space Week, please visit worldspaceweek.org. 

Image credit: James Beck