stdClass Object ( [id] => 324 [title] => What’s up October 2023 [alias] => what-s-up-october-2023 [introtext] =>

Here's your monthly round up of what's going on in the night skies. Ishbel Carlyle talks us through October's highlights.

[fulltext] =>

Meteor showers:

Not one but two meteor showers this month! The Draconids and the Orionids

Draconids peak 8th-9th October:

Due to the radiant point- the point in the sky which all the shooting stars seem to radiate from, being so high up this show is best viewed in the early evening just after sunset whilst the constellation is high in the sky. It can be quite a quiet shower, maybe ten per hour estimations say, but it has been known to be much more active, so fingers crossed! The Moon will only be 22% illuminated so will not interfere with viewing.

Draconids

Orionids peak 21st-22nd October:

Around midnight this shower should kick off, just as the moon sets- talk about perfect timing. This should be a bigger shower than the Draconids, ten to twenty an hour. The Orionids have also been known to produce quite a few fireballs, so named because they look like balls of fire. These are particularly large meteors and so create a more bright and brilliant show. You can sometimes even see them breaking up in the atmosphere, a streak followed by remnant flashes. Fun Fact: the meteors from this shower come from the tail of the famous Halley’s comet. It’s not returning to our skies until 2061 so this is as close as you’ll get for a while.

Orionids

Constellations:

The summer triangle is setting, and the Winter constellations are coming back – namely my favourite Orion is coming back, by the end of the month he’ll be fully up by x time.

Orion is a lovely constellation to point your binoculars or telescope at, full of interesting stars: His left shoulder, the media famous Betelgeuse: a gloriously red supergiant star near the end of its life. It is over 16 times the mass of our sun, and maybe as much as 2000 times as wide so when it dies it won’t be going quietly, it will be a supernova explosion that will light up our night sky (if it goes during the night) like the full moon, and will remain visible to the naked eye in the sky for two or three month before fading to being a fantastic bino and telescope object for the rest of our lives. The chances of this happening in our lifetimes are the same as winning the Euromillions, anywhere between the next few years, or the next one hundred thousand years. His right foot is the gorgeous and bright Rigel, the 6th brightest star in the sky and a stark contrast in colour to Betelgeuse. It is a about the same age, eight million years old, but is just at the beginning of the end as a blue supergiant, one day becoming red like Betelgeuse once it cools down. This colour change, however, will take millions of years.

Orion

In his sword is a wonderful bright nebula, not just a single star but a birthplace of stars. A stellar nursery. The closest one to earth at around one thousand five hundred light years away. In the darkest conditions it is easily visible to the naked eye.

If you want to learn more about Orion’s origins and its stars cultural relevant throughout history and continents check out: Figures in the Sky (visualcinnamon.com)

Planets:

Saturn and Jupiter both of great visibility throughout the month, Saturn rising first and Jupiter following. Between them Uranus is hiding, only visible with a strong pair of binoculars or a telescope.

Venus is also visible, but during the daytime, leading the Sun across the sky.

Moon Phases:

6th October- Half Moon

14th October - New Moon

22nd October- Half Moon

28th October- Full Moon

Partial Lunar Eclipse:

Beginning around 7pm and ending 11.30pm the full moon will be partially hidden by the Earth's shadow. It will only be maximum 12% covered so it's not a brilliant show but it is still a worthwhile reason to look up, given that the next full lunar eclipse we'll get to witness from the UK will be in 2090. The next two diagrams show how the shadow, known as the umbra, can cross the moon, and what the eclipse will look like as seen from Newcastle area 21:44.

Partial Lunar eclipse 1

Partial Lunar eclipse 2

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Here's your monthly round up of what's going on in the night skies. Ishbel Carlyle talks us through October's highlights.

)

Photographers across the North East were lucky enough to capture a beautiful aurora on the 13th September as dark skies glimmered pink, yellow and green.

stdClass Object ( [id] => 323 [title] => North East skies alight with colourful aurora [alias] => north-east-skies-alight-with-colourful-aurora [introtext] =>

Photographers across the North East were lucky enough to capture a beautiful aurora on the 13th September as dark skies glimmered pink, yellow and green.

[fulltext] =>

Staff and volunteers at Kielder Observatory in Northumberland were among many who photographed the aurora borealis as it illuminated parts of the North East and beyond.

Aurora MA Sept23

Image: Northern Lights captured by Kielder Observatory volunteer Michael Auton

Dan Pye, Director of Astronomy and Science Communication at the observatory said:

"It was thought that the peak of activity would be in the afternoon, but it came back again throughout the night until around four am. It was a rare treat to have such a colourful display, but they do happen.

"It happens when there have been ejections of material from the sun that enter Earth's magnetic field and interact with gases in our atmosphere. During the equinox, or close to it, we can get stronger aurora which have more chance of being seen from the UK as happened the other night.

"If the weathers clear, it's best to be on standby for such occasions and keep an eye on aurora hunting websites and social media channels."

Aurora JW Sept 23

Image: Nothern Lights captured by Kielder Observatory volunteer Julie Winn at Sycamore Gap in Northumberland

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Photographers across the North East were lucky enough to capture a beautiful aurora on the 13th September as dark skies glimmered pink, yellow and green.

)

The second round of Frank's Fellowship concluded on 25th August with a visit to the observatory by the particpants to share their work and meet each other.

stdClass Object ( [id] => 322 [title] => Frank's Fellowship Round Two Concludes [alias] => frank-s-fellowship-round-two-concludes [introtext] =>

The second round of Frank's Fellowship concluded on 25th August with a visit to the observatory by the particpants to share their work and meet each other.

[fulltext] =>

Friday 25th August saw the final visit to Kielder Observatory by Eve, Jessica and Elizabeth as part of our Frank's Fellowship arts bursary.

At the beginning of summer we opened applications for our final round of Frank's Fellowship arts bursary. Those successful would receive £250 each towards art supplies and access costs to Kielder over the summer 2023, the bursary was open to all young artists aged 14-18 resident in Northumberland, with funding kindly donated by the Fortescue family in memory of their relative Frank Fortescue. Recipients this year were Jessica Hillsley, Elizabeth Hedley, Eve Macdonald and Georgia Hutchinson.

The successful applicants were then invited to visit the observatory on the evening of Friday 25th August to meet each other and share the artwork they had created over the summer, exploring new creative processes and the inspiration of Kielder and the observatory. One participant was unable to attend due to illness but we had three fantastic, original pieces of art brought along by three talented artists. Jessica had created a bespoke night sky-inspired dress showcasing a wide range of textiles skills, featuring a moon centrepiece and a black cloak flush with constellations. Elizabeth brought with her a brilliant painting of the observatory, featuring the red light of the Sir Pat turret glowing in the night sky and an astronaut floating into the cosmos above. Eve had painted and constructed an atmospheric, unique diorama featuring a traditional painter's box with a painting of moonlit Kielder and a figure capturing the moment.

Elizabeth Hedley said: “I absolutely loved visiting the observatory because I learned a lot about our solar system and the wider universe. This inspired my acrylic painting, which symbolises the feeling of being in space while still grounded in the observatory. The bursary has allowed me to buy oil painting supplies and an easel, and I'm excited to start learning this medium. I can't thank you enough for this experience as it has helped me so much with my artwork.”

Jessica Hillsley said “This experience allowed me to explore techniques that I don't use as much in my school textiles and gain confidence in creating larger-scale pieces.”

Well done to all the recipients and best of luck with your future studies and creative journey. This second round concludes our Frank's Fellowship programme, but there are plenty more arts projects around the corner, so watch this space!

By Heather Woodfine

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The second round of Frank's Fellowship concluded on 25th August with a visit to the observatory by the particpants to share their work and meet each other.

)

Joicey Trust enables an astronomy outreach and poetry project with learners at HMP Northumberland

Welcome to another addition to What's Up? with a look at September with Astronomer, Rosie Braunholtz! Let's hope the weather will be better than it was for July or August and we can do some actual stargazing...

stdClass Object ( [id] => 319 [title] => What's Up? September 2023 [alias] => what-s-up-september-2023 [introtext] =>

[fulltext] =>

What's Up? September

September is a wonderful time to be stargazing, as it's getting truly dark. Instead of the handful of hours of night that we got in August, we're starting to get 6-8 hours of darkness. And it should be fairly mild weather still, so you won't be shivering even if you do spend the entire evening outside. You also won't be having to stay up until silly o'clock as it will get nice and dark by 9/10pm.

Milky Way

So, what's good to see up in the night sky? First of all the Milky Way! Our own galaxy is at its highest in the sky in May and June, where the galactic centre is more visible than normal, but because it barely gets dark during these summer months the Milky Way is hidden. By September, with its dark nights and the Milky Way still being at a high altitude, it is a great time to view it.

Constellations

As the year goes by the sky is slowly moving from our summer constellations to the autumnal ones. The Pleiades also known as the Seven Sisters in Taurus is becoming quite visible now. We are starting to see the glorious constellation of Orion, destined to become the centrepiece of our winter nights, rising just below Taurus in the east.

However, we still see the Summer Triangle, the heart of the summer night sky: Vega, Deneb and Altair high up in the south as darkness falls and making its ways towards the west during the month. Later on in the evening, the Summer Triangle will make way for the Square of Pegasus and Andromeda.

Andromeda Galaxy

At midnight the Andromeda galaxy will be sitting around 70 degrees above the horizon. Objects are always better to view if they are high up as there is less atmosphere for the light to get through. So, if you've got a pair of binoculars or a small telescope that's sitting in the attic, this month is a great time to whip them out, go into the garden and try and get a glimpse of our closest galaxy (which is still a hefty 2.5 million years away!) If you live in a place with really dark skies, you'll be able to make out the small oval glow of the Andromeda Galaxy with your naked eye. Here's how to find it:

September stellarium Image 1: How to find Andromeda Constellation. Credit: Stellarium

Firstly, try and find Cassiopea- the big 'W' towards the east. Using the two stars on the right side of the 'W', line them up and follow the line down until you hit the first bright star. This is Almach, one of the stars of the Andromeda constellations.

September stellarium 2

Image 2: How to find Andromeda Galaxy. Credit: Stellarium

Planets

Jupiter and Saturn, our two big gas giants, are rising earlier and earlier. By the middle of September you should be able to see Saturn by 8pm and Jupiter by 9pm.

Jupiter is currently sitting in Aries and Saturn in Aquarius. Both are visible to the naked eye. But those with binoculars or a small telescope can really be treated to their beauty. Saturn, arguably the most photogenic planet, has its characteristic icy rings, visible from earth. We believe the rings might only be around another 100 million years or so- so get a quick look before it's too late! Saturn will have passed opposition at the end of August, meaning it will still be slightly closer, brighter and larger at the beginning of September than at other times of the year.

I should also mention that Neptune (currently in Pisces) the last planet in our solar system will be in opposition on September 19th. It will be brighter then at any other time of year and is visible through the night. However, you'll need a telescope with a fairly large aperture.

Jupiter, the largest planet, is over 1000 x bigger than Earth but it rotates about once every 10 hours. Because of this, there are massive winds and storms which cause these colourful bands to appear and famously, its red spot.

If you can keep your binoculars stable enough, you should be able to see the four Galilean moons of Jupiter which move around the planet every few days. The closest moon is Io, which has an orbit of 1.8 Earth days. You can often see Io's shadow on the surface of Jupiter when it's in transit. The first transit of Io in September which is visible at night in the UK will be Wednesday September 6th at 01:00 UT, but the shadow will be visible from about an hour before then.

You can find out the transition times of all Jupiter's Galilean moons, Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto using this website: https://skyandtelescope.org/wp-content/plugins/observing-tools/jupiter_moons/jupiter.html

Damien Peach Jupiter

Image 3: Jupiter with transiting moons. Credit: Damian Peach.

Moon Phases

Lastly, here are the moon phases and also other astronomical events which might be of interest to astrophotographers:

1st September- Moon between Jupiter and Saturn
4th September- Moon is near Jupiter
6th September- Moon last quarter
15th September- New Moon
22nd September- Moon first quarter; Mercury at greatest western elongation- best time is shortly before sunrise
23rd September- Autumn Equinox, best time to try and photograph the zodiacal light
29th September- Harvest full moon

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)

Welcomne to your monthly guide on what astronomical objects you can find in the skies this August!

stdClass Object ( [id] => 272 [title] => What's Up? August 2023 [alias] => what-s-up-august-2023 [introtext] =>

Welcomne to your monthly guide on what astronomical objects you can find in the skies this August!

[fulltext] =>

What's Up? August 2023

Astronomer and Science Communicator Ishbel Carlyle talks us through what we can see in the skies this August, and there's plenty to keep your telescopes busy...

Astronomical darkness returns! We get official “night” come August 6^thwhen the Sun will dip low enough beyond the horizon to make it dark enough to be worthy of the definition of night.

And it’s a good thing too, because in August we have the Perseid meteor shower! So, what is a meteor shower and why is this one Perseids?

Meteor showers are made up of little bits of space rock entering our atmosphere really fast, so fast that they can ignite the air around them, just like when you strike a match and get the spark before the flame, and the result is a bright light flashing across the sky. These are what we call Shooting Stars! Which is a big misnomer as they are actually really little. On average the size of rock coming through our atmosphere is the size of a grain of sand, the bigger flashes maybe produced by rock up to a tennis ball in size, so no need to worry about being hit by one. Space rocks can land on Earth but that’s a story for a different day. Meteors can be sporadic, coming in randomly, but meteor showers are caused by something special. They come from the tails of comets. A comet is a large ball of rock and ice that orbit in huge elliptic (oval) motions around our solar system, sometimes going from beyond Neptune to the inner solar system. Of course, this takes hundreds to thousands of years. As a comet orbits around the Sun, it does what most things that are ice do, it melts, and deposits a trail of rocks behind it. We then orbit into this trail, usually on a yearly basis. I’ve found a diagram to show this.

Comet orbit

Figure 1. Image credit kqed.org

So why are they called the Perseids? If you look up a list of meteor showers you will hopefully start to recognise that their names coincide with names of constellations. This is because, as the meteors are all approaching from the same direction as the Earth goes through the comet trail, the patch of the sky they go through is the same year on year and seems to emanate from one direction known as the radiant point. Since the sky is a jigsaw of constellations, which ever constellation the radiant point lines up with is the showers name. Now all you need to do is find the constellation, lie back, and count the “stars” streaming across the sky. The Perseids is a particularly good shower as it can produce up to one hundred shooting stars an hour! And this year we are in luck as the peak (August 13^th) falls on the run up to New Moon (August 16^th) so there will a completely dark sky.

Night sky map august

Figure 2. A night sky map looking northeast throughout August.

Speaking of moons, the other exciting night sky feature August is offering is not just one but two Full moons. That’s right- a Blue Moon! A Blue Moon is the second full moon in one month, as usually since the lunar cycle is about 28 days long there is only one full moon every month. This month we’ve got a full moon on the 1^st and the 31^st. Unfortunately, this means a Blue Moon is not actually blue, it is just like any other full moon.

Happy stargazing!

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Welcomne to your monthly guide on what astronomical objects you can find in the skies this August!

)

We hear from Astronomer and Science Communicator, Ishbel Carlyle, who takes us through what you could see in the skies this July.

stdClass Object ( [id] => 267 [title] => What's Up? July 2023 [alias] => what-s-up-july-2023 [introtext] =>

We hear from Astronomer and Science Communicator, Ishbel Carlyle, who takes us through what you could see in the skies this July.

[fulltext] =>

What's Up? July 2023

So, we are past the summer solstice- the longest day and so shortest night of the year. The nights are getting longer and darker! By the end of the month the Sun will be setting by 9.11pm and not rising until 5:13am. We won’t be experiencing Astronomical darkness until we get into August as the Sun still skirts the northern horizon however this means we are deep in noctilucent cloud season.

Noctilucent clouds- noctilucent translating as “night shining”- are a phenomenon caused by clouds of ice crystals and debris being lit by the Sun from beyond the horizon. The clouds sit about 80km up in the atmosphere so if you are situated between 45 and 80 degrees north on Earth you get treated to a beautiful display of glowing bright wispy clouds. I’ve made a little diagram to help explain, and we’ve also got a beautiful picture of these twilight joys over Kielder reservoir taken by one of our astronomers, Liam Reid, this past month.

Figure 1. Diagram showing how high up clouds of ice and dust from meteors and space junk in our atmosphere can be illuminated in the night sky by the Sun in Summer. Ishbel Carlyle

Figure 2. Photograph of Noctilucent clouds over Kielder reservoir in June 2023. Liam Reid.

So, besides bright clouds and light nights what have we got? Well, the full Moon this month occurs on the 3^rd and the new moon happens on the 17^th. Venus is still up and shining, following the Sun across the sky- a real post sunset treat to see. Due to its interior position to us, Venus experiences phases just like the moon and is becoming a crescent shape so a good telescope target. The next two best planets to see with a telescope or even just binoculars are also coming back to grace us with their presence in the pre-sunrise sky. Saturn and Jupiter are on their way! By the end of the month Saturn will be visible well before midnight, and Jupiter will be just popping over the north-eastern horizon by this time.

And finally, the Perseids meteor shower is building up. However, the peak isn’t until august 12^th - 13^th so more on that next month but don’t be surprised if you see a few more shooting stars!

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We hear from Astronomer and Science Communicator, Ishbel Carlyle, who takes us through what you could see in the skies this July.

)

A best-selling author whose love of the Northumberland dark skies is often reflected in her suspense-filled novels has officially renamed part of a major tourist attraction.

stdClass Object ( [id] => 266 [title] => Best-selling author in observatory naming honour [alias] => best-selling-author-in-observatory-naming-honour [introtext] =>

A best-selling author whose love of the Northumberland dark skies is often reflected in her suspense-filled novels has officially renamed part of a major tourist attraction.

[fulltext] =>

LJ Ross Turret Unveiling 63

Best-selling author in observatory naming honour

A best-selling author whose love of the Northumberland dark skies is often reflected in her suspense-filled novels has officially renamed part of a major tourist attraction.

LJ Ross, a keen champion of the North East, was chosen by supporters of Kielder Observatory to unveil the newly named Caroline Herschel Turret in a ceremony which celebrated women in science.

The turret has been renamed to honour the British astronomer, Caroline, who was the first woman to receive a salary as a scientist and who discovered several comets. Alongside her brother, William, who was Court Astronomer to George III, they uncovered more than 2,400 astronomical objects over 20 years. Caroline was later awarded a gold medal from the Royal Astronomical Society and was elected an Honorary Member in 1835 for her pioneering work.

Said LJ Ross: "The Dark Sky area is a place that carries a special significance for me. The magical Kielder Forest and its stunning observatory have played a huge part in nurturing my fascination of the night sky and has inspired my writing and career- both as the location for my 2017 DCI Ryan mystery Dark Skies, which was a #1 bestseller in the UK, and as the name of my publishing house, Dark Skies Publishing.

"I was extremely honoured to be invited to officially rename the turret and particularly enthused by their decision to pay tribute to such an inspirational and iconic figure. Beyond her many contributions to astronomy, Caroline Herschel was a trailblazer of women's rights who battled against prejudice her whole life to earn her rightful place among her peers. I can't think of a more fitting homage to one of astronomy's pioneering female heroes."

Adam Shore Education Lead and LJ Ross

The ceremony formed part of celebrations for the observatory's 15th anniversary. The charity now puts on more than 700 events per year, carries out extensive outreach projects in schools across the North East and attracts around 20,000 visitors per year.

Hannah Matterson, Director of Operations and Marketing at Kielder Observatory, said:

"We're an organisation which actively supports women in STEM and we love to inspire the next generation to get involved in astronomy and science. Caroline Herschel was one of the most prominent female scientists in the country in the late 1700s, and she seemed the perfect person to name our second turret after and to celebrate her contribution to science.

"LJ Ross's name came up again and again when we asked our supported who should officially rename the turret. We know she has a love of the dark skies around Northumberland and is passionate about the North East, as we are. We're so pleased she would be with us for the ceremony."

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A best-selling author whose love of the Northumberland dark skies is often reflected in her suspense-filled novels has officially renamed part of a major tourist attraction.

)

Education Lead, Adam Shore, reflects on Kielder Observatory's educational outreach programmes and what the future holds

stdClass Object ( [id] => 262 [title] => Every Child Deserves Stars [alias] => every-child-deserves-stars [introtext] =>

Education Lead, Adam Shore, reflects on Kielder Observatory's educational outreach programmes and what the future holds

[fulltext] =>

Every Child Deserves Stars

Over the past few years, Kielder Observatory has proudly embarked on several educational projects, aiming to inspire and engage young minds across the North East. As we look back on the previous years, we are delighted to see how far we have come and excited about the journey ahead.

20221208 155935

Two notable projects, both concluding in March 2023, include a partnership with schools across the North of Tyne Combined Authority and our innovative "From STEM to Stars" programme, funded by The Reece Foundation. Despite the inevitable adaptations required due to the pandemic, our commitment to engaging pupils with STEM remained steadfast. As a result, we've accomplished over 43,000 pupil engagements from around 180 schools through a combination of online sessions, in-person workshops, and interactive sessions in our inflatable planetarium under the North of Tyne contract.

Running concurrently over the last year, the second phase of our From STEM to Stars project, initiated in Spring 2022, successfully introduced astronomy, engineering, and other STEM fields to over 7,000 students from 44 different schools. Through a unique blend of studying the Carrington Event, a historical solar superstorm, we provided students with a tangible context for STEM subjects. Additionally, we established 41 Star Groups, after-school astronomy clubs that provided safe, inclusive spaces where over 900 students continued their education and exploring the cosmos.

20221202 123600

As we venture into the next phase of our educational journey, we are currently delivering a pilot of our new initiative, "Bold Futures", funded by Association of Science and Discovery Centres, Museums Association and Liminal Space. This programme is specifically designed for children who are at risk of exclusion from mainstream education. We seek to harness the awe-inspiring power of astronomy to ignite their interest in STEM and unlock the life opportunities that come with studying these subjects.

Recognising the unique challenges faced by these children, we are committed to developing a programme tailored to their needs. In partnership with Jackie Edwards, a creative practitioner based in the North East, our ambition is to build a comprehensive, scalable programme that not only inspires excluded children but also contributes to reducing future exclusions.

At Kielder Observatory, we firmly believe that everyone should have the opportunity to look up at the night sky and feel a connection to the cosmos. Our mission is to ensure that no child falls by the wayside due to circumstances beyond their control. Our ongoing projects represent steps towards ensuring a more inclusive and accessible future - a future where every child, regardless of their background or challenges, can dream about the stars and witness a universe of possibilities unfolding before them.

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Education Lead, Adam Shore, reflects on Kielder Observatory's educational outreach programmes and what the future holds

)

Kielder Observatory recognises the value of Government Culture Recovery Fund

stdClass Object ( [id] => 261 [title] => Culture Recovery Fund Evaluation Report Published By DCMS [alias] => culture-recovery-fund-evaluation-report-published-by-dcms [introtext] =>

Kielder Observatory recognises the value of Government Culture Recovery Fund

[fulltext] =>

Culture Recovery Fund Evaluation Report Published By DCMS

Milkyway 1

Culture creates jobs, supports livelihoods, and brings joy to everyone. The UK leads the world in the creative industries and we can all feel pride in that.

As one of the recipients of the Government's Culture Recovery Fund, we are happy to see that a new, independent report has revealed that the Government's unprecedented £1.57 billion package of emergency cultural funding during the pandemic was delivered efficiently, helping support nearly 220,000 jobs and 5,000 organisations.

This groundbreaking funding not only allowed cultural organisations to reopen after coronavirus, but also empowered them to come back stronger. The evaluation found that once organisations were able to reopen as normal, they often did so with a new and improved offering thanks to the support they received from the Culture Recovery Fund, which was delivered in partnership with Arts Council England, the British Film Institute, The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England.

For Kielder Observatory it:

Allowed us to invest in the maintenance and upkeep of the Observatory buildings with significant improvements being made to the Gillian Dickinson Astro-Imaging Academy.
Allowed us to safely reopen the Observatory with refreshed safety signage and markers, sanitation supplies and PPR for staff.
Allowed us to invest time in digital outputs, particularly putting staff time into our podcast and AR app which is now published.
Allowed us to complete refresher training events, and health and safety before we opened as the staff had been away from their usual roles for several months.
Allowed us to take advantage of some publicity opportunities that we would not have been able to without the grant.
Allowed us to maintain regular payments to service providers.

#HereForCulture is a movement that unites the public, government and cultural organisations in support of our fantastic cinemas, theatres music venues, museums, galleries and heritage.

By being #HereForCulture, we aren't just supporting the people in the industry, we're also supporting communities across the country.

You can read more about the report here: Culture Recovery Fund evaluation report

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Kielder Observatory recognises the value of Government Culture Recovery Fund

)

Calling all young Northumberland artists

stdClass Object ( [id] => 256 [title] => Frank's Fellowship Round Two Opens [alias] => frank-s-fellowship-round-two-opens [introtext] =>

Calling all young Northumberland artists

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Applications now open for Frank's Fellowship

Calling all young Northumberland artists!

We are delighted to announce applications are now open for round two of our arts bursary scheme Frank’s Fellowship.

Frank’s Fellowship will support young artists in Northumberland aged 14-18 to develop work inspired by Kielder Observatory. Each artist will receive a bursary of £250 plus access to Kielder Observatory to help with their work. We would encourage anyone eligible to apply and are keen to see the diversity of young artists the region has to offer. There are no restrictions on your artform, you do not need to be formally studying your preferred artform, and we’d actively encourage everyone from visual artists to musicians, dancers to digital artists and all those in between to apply!

It is established in memory of Frank Fortescue, who loved nothing more than being in the forest and loved the night sky.

Applicants must be aged between 14 and 18 and resident in any part of Northumberland. It is not required that they are studying art or design at school or college. The bursary can be used to cover materials, travel to Kielder and other expenses.

No outcome is necessarily expected - while the creation of work is welcomed, this is a development opportunity for young people to experience new inspiration for their artistic practice.

To see a summary of round one recipients and their work achieved, take a look here: https://kielderobservatory.org/news/latest-news/246-frank-s-fellowship-supports-artists-night-sky-inspiration

Sarah, one of the 2022 cohort, said: “I was so grateful to receive the fellowship. It allowed me to buy new art materials and explore new approaches to being creative. I really enjoyed visiting the observatory and exploring its interrelationship with the landscape and the sky, which inspired my mixed media painting.”

To enter the 2023 round, all you have to do to apply is submit up to 300 words or a 2-minute video describing what this opportunity would mean to you. Application form here: https://forms.gle/NEFynQES8kxpxZGRA, application deadline is Sunday 30th April. Successful applicants will be able to attend a Fellowship day at the Observatory, have access to Observatory events for themselves and a legal guardian (subject to ticket availability) and be connected to the Observatory's professional artist network.

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Calling all young Northumberland artists

)

Bold Futures Grants awarded to seven Science and Discovery Centres across the UK- and we're one of them!

stdClass Object ( [id] => 253 [title] => Bold Futures Grants Announcement [alias] => bold-futures-grants-announcement [introtext] =>

Bold Futures Grants awarded to seven Science and Discovery Centres across the UK- and we're one of them!

[fulltext] =>

The Association for Science and Discovery Centres, the Museums Association and The Liminal Space have collaborated on a new national STEM engagement programme: Bold Futures. This project builds on the Inspiring Science Fund and the Science and Discovery Centre Futures report by The Liminal Space, commissioned by Wellcome as ISF legacy.

Bold Futures brings together a science centre cohort of activity champions for community representation and public engagement. The programme aims to undertake values-led work that involved underrepresented audiences and explores how this can affect future purpose and financial sustainability.

bold futures 2

As part of Bold Futures, ASDC is facilitating capacity building grants of £10,000-£25,000 across the science and discovery centre network. We are delighted to announce that seven organisations from across the UK have been awarded grants to deliver thier own Bold Futures programme, starting January 2023.

"At an ongoing time of uncertainty and challenge for science centres and museums, our purpose-driven members are steadfast in their vision for a more equitable and sustainable future for science and science engagement in the UK. Through this programme, we are both humbled and delighted to be able to support these seven members along their journey." - Shaaron Leverment- Chief Executive, ASDC.

The seven selected organisations are:

Armargh Observatory and Planetarium, Northern Ireland
Cambridge Science Centre
Centre for Alternative Technology, Wales
Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh
Kielder Observatory
Science Oxford
Wonderseekers, Winchester Science Centre

The successful projects represent a diverse mix of public engagement, involving and collaborating with specific chosen community partners to increase their opportunities to engage with STEM. These include collaborating with local underrepresented audiences such as SEN groups, excluded children, and children and families from socio-economically deprived areas. Each programme contains a strong element of co-creation with the chosen community group, with the aim to develop programmes that meet the needs and interests of these groups, leading to broader audiences overall and longer term sustainability and resilience for the organisations.

"We at Wellcome are thrilled that the Inspiring Science Fund was able to offer these legacy grants through the Bold Futures scheme, to enable more of the UK's amazing science and discovery centres to develop their engagement offers and relationships with lcoal communities and underserved audiences.

There was a fantastic range of applications for these grants which made the decisions on which programmes to fund very difficult, but we believe that these seven centres will make lasting impact by enabling positive changes for the future for their organisations and audiences alike.

Congratulations to all the awardees; I look forward to seeing how your ideas progress." - Sarah Dellar- Culture & Society Manager at Wellcome.

For more information on each of the Bold Futures programme please visit the ASDC website

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Bold Futures Grants awarded to seven Science and Discovery Centres across the UK- and we're one of them!

)

Kielder Observatory celebrates success from the WIN Awards 2022!

stdClass Object ( [id] => 250 [title] => The Women of Kielder Observatory lead the way [alias] => the-women-of-kielder-observatory-lead-the-way [introtext] =>

Kielder Observatory celebrates success from the WIN Awards 2022!

[fulltext] =>

Lessons in Leadership

We had a great night at the recent WIN Awards - winning the Women in STEM Award and being highly commended for the Leadership Award. Our CEO writes some lessons in leadership and culture in this blog. In essence, leaders don't suddenly emerge fully-formed, it's the work of a lifetime and anyone can be a great leader.

WIN Awards 2022

1. Study

Immerse yourself in stories of leadership as much as you can, books, podcasts, conference talks, and so much more. You don't have to learn everything from scratch.

2. Be you

Except, of course, that you do have to learn everything from scratch because you can only be the leader that you can be. Self-awareness, understanding what impact you have on others is critical. Being comfortable with who you are, while striving to always do better, allows everyone else to do the same.

3. Set the example

We're all human and we have good days and bad days. But overall, be clear on the culture, values and behaviours you expect in the organisation, and be a good example of them.

4. Don't expect steady state

Ever. Everyday, you'll be managing change, sometimes major, often minor. Your antennae should always be working - what does the team need, what does the organisation need? Develop those instincts, reflect on your development.

5. Leave a good wake

Try and leave a good wake behind you. I'm driven by a belief that, if you have talent it should be put into service, in a way that positively affects others.

6. Collaborate

Create and nurture a supportive network and culture, it is instrumental to being a successful leader. It's about how we work together as best we can - that's my leadership style. I will make the final decision but it's a consensus-led organisation.

Last thought...

Contrary to popular belief, it is not lonely at the top. One of the team asked if I thought being a CEO was isolating and I said not in the least. But you must have people around whom you trust, not just to do their job, but to put the effort in with you to develop an open, collaborate culture.

You can see all of the WIN Awards 2022 winners here

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Kielder Observatory celebrates success from the WIN Awards 2022!

)

We are delighted to share the news that Kielder Observatory has been awarded a VisitEngland Welcome accolade.

stdClass Object ( [id] => 249 [title] => Welcome Accolade awarded to Kielder Observatory [alias] => welcome-accolade-awarded-to-kielder-observatory [introtext] =>

We are delighted to share the news that Kielder Observatory has been awarded a VisitEngland Welcome accolade.

[fulltext] =>

VisitEngland has announced the 2021-2022 winners of its Visitor Attraction Accolades highlighting the quality and diversity of visitor experiences on offer across the country... and we're one of them!

Kielder Observatory has been awarded a VisitEngland Welcome accolade as a testament to the high standards achieved, which the assessors felt were truly deserving of recognition.

Welcome 2021 22a

We are in excellent company with our Northumberland friends at Roman Army Museum, The Vindolanda Trust and The Alnwick Garden who have all received accolades.

The winning attractions have gained the accolades based on scores received following their annual VisitEngland Visitor Attraction Quality Scheme assessments. Marks were allocated to the 97 attractions for the outstanding experiences they provide to visitors across categories including Welcome, Best Told Story, Quality Food and Drink, Hidden Gem and Gold for overall winners.

VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes said:

"It's so exciting to see our brilliant attractions providing experiences for visitors and to recognise and showcase the variety and quality across the country.

England has unmissable visitor attractions and experiences that deliver world-class customer service. They also provide the warmest of welcomes and unforgettable storytelling that connects the whole experience, including retail and food and drink offers that exceed expectations."

Introduced in 2014, the accolades are available to VisitEngland's Visitor Attraction Quality Scheme participants across a wide range of tourism experiences in England from museums and galleries, farm attractions, historic houses and gardens to churches, cathedrals and country parks. Participating attractions are supported by a network of highly trained experienced assessors who advise them on improving and promoting the quality, accessibility and sustainability of their offer.

Wee the full list of attractions to recieve VisitEngland 2021-2022 Visitor Attraction Accolades here.

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We are delighted to share the news that Kielder Observatory has been awarded a VisitEngland Welcome accolade.

)

We’re putting our energy into this campaign...

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We’re putting our energy into this campaign...

[fulltext] =>

Kielder Observatory needs a new wind turbine!

As we reach our 15th year as an outreach observatory, our fantastic site has faced all the elements, and it's taken its toll on our wind turbine. We are completely off-grid with our energy supply, and we rely on a wind turbine to help keep the observatory running- it is invaluable to our organisation.

That's why we're crowdfunding to raise over £30,000 to buy a new one.

Our new wind turbine will help us deliver over 700 events every year, improve the work we do and engage more people with the dark skies and provide memorable moments. It will enable us to continue to provide the best experience for visitors, ensuring they get the opportunity to explore the Dark Skies above Northumberland, reaching new audiences to give them their own 'Kielder Moment'.

Being based in Kielder Forest, we want to minimise any environmental impact- our wind turbine allows us to do this. It means we use a renewable energy source as well as having minimal impact on the amazing wildlife and landscape we are surrounded by. Without it, we would need to install a power supply which would cause disruption to the area. This will keep our energy costs low and we can invest our money into engaging more people with astronomy.

We pride ourselves on offering visitors the best experience we can, and we hope that those who have made the trip to us in the past, will help us sustain our observatory for the future.

Any pledge towards our target is much appreciated and we know not everyone is able to donate at this time. You can donate as little as £2 via our project page, and if you're not able to do that but do wish to support our campaign, then you can share our page on social media and encourage your friends and family to do the same!

Thank you for your ongoing support, and fingers crossed we hit our target!

You can donate now via our Spacehive Project Page : https://www.spacehive.com/kielder-observatory-wind-turbine

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We’re putting our energy into this campaign...

)

YOUNG artists inspired by the night sky have showcased their work after receiving bursaries from a special fellowship.

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YOUNG artists inspired by the night sky have showcased their work after receiving bursaries from a special fellowship.

[fulltext] =>

Four artists, aged between 14 and 18, were given £250 each and access to Kielder Observatory for inspiration thanks to Frank’s Fellowship, which was established following a generous legacy from the late Frank Fortescue. There were no restrictions on which artform could be the subject of a bursary and entrants did not need to be formally studying their chosen artform.

Ethan Jewitt, 15, Sarah Dickinson, 14, Jacob Harrison, 17 and Jemima Green, 17 all live in Northumberland, attended a ‘fellowship day’ where they showcased their finished work and met with each other to talk about their art, which took the form of acrylic paint, mixed media and textiles.

Sarah said: “I was so grateful to receive the fellowship. It allowed me to buy new art materials and explore new approaches to being creative. I really enjoyed visiting the observatory and exploring its interrelationship with the landscape and the sky, which inspired my mixed media painting.”

A statement from Frank’s family said: “Frank loved nothing more than being in the forest and loved the night sky so we’re sure he would be pleased that his money is helping to support the next generation as they too are inspired by the dark skies above them.”

Catherine Johns, CEO of Kielder Observatory, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to the family of Frank Fortescue for allowing us to set up this fellowship in his name. It was lovely to see how the artists were inspired by visits to the observatory and the skies and landscape around us and how that translated into their wonderful work.”

The next round of Frank’s Fellowship will be open for applications in 2023.

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YOUNG artists inspired by the night sky have showcased their work after receiving bursaries from a special fellowship.

)

Kielder Observatory Astronomical Society launches its new strategy for 2022-2025

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Kielder Observatory Astronomical Society launches its new strategy for 2022-2025

[fulltext] =>

Kielder Observatory: A New Strategy

Catherine Johns

We're delighted to publish the strategy for Kielder Observatory: a strategy that will guide our development for the next two years. It is the result of listening to myriad voices- our partners and stakeholders, our visitors, our trustees and staff.

Early on in the process, it became clear that we were very clear on our mission: to create opportunities for people of all backgrounds and abilities to experience moments of inspiration, revelation, wonder and hope through observing the cosmos. However, we needed to articulate the outcomes more clearly to capture who we want to be as an organisation, what we want to contribute to place and how we want people to feel. If we deliver our mission, these are the outcomes we hope to achieve:

People: Everyone feels represented, welcomed, enriched and inspired, enabling equality of access to opportunities in science, whether as a one-off engagement, participation in study (formal or informal), and/or a career
Place: We consistently inspire more people of all backgrounds and abilities to reflect upon their place in the universe and the fragility of the Earth, and catalyse individual and collective action in response to the need to protect our dark skies, and wider natural heritage
Organisation: We welcome the uncertainty of fresh challenge and continuously improve our offer as opportunities emerge from new technologies, new audiences and evolving practice.

The strategy goes into more detail about how we will achieve that. At the heart of everything we do is inspiration. A clear sky at Kielder is truly special: the air is crisp, the silence is bewitching, the stars are mesmerising. It is a reminder of how lucky we are to be alive on this tiny little planet near one of the billions of stars in one of the billions of galaxies that exist in the known universe. That's the Kielder moment, and it can transform people's lives.

We are proud of what we have achieved to date, but it feels as though we are just getting started. We hope you'll join us as we develop new activities, projects and programmes that convey that very special "Kielder moment" to as many people as possible. C

Catherine Johns, CEO

Please visit our Vision page to access the full strategy and read more about our aims and priorities

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Kielder Observatory Astronomical Society launches its new strategy for 2022-2025

)

Catherine Johns, Kielder Observatory CEO, recently presented at the Creative Fuse conference in the North East. Here she talks about creativity in crisis and how Kielder Observatory has, and is, weathering the storm.

stdClass Object ( [id] => 242 [title] => Creativity In Crisis [alias] => creativity-in-crisis [introtext] =>

[fulltext] =>

Creativity In Crisis

I was asked to share my thoughts on the role of creative practitioners and spaces in a crisis at the Creative Fuse conference and I wanted to highlight three points.

Firstly, crisis and change are normal. We know this from our observations of the universe - stars are born and die all of the time. The universe is in a permanent state of change. What's important is our response and our resilience and this is where organisations like Kielder Observatory come in. Change and crisis can provide opportunities to learn and experiment and we provide space for that.

The pandemic, for example, taught us that what we do is not just important, it's essential. Looking up at a sky full of stars has been a human birthright for millennia and has inspired our greatest thinkers, artists, scientists and story-tellers. However, in the last few decades this birthright has become unavailable to 80% of the world's population because of light pollution. Dark sky places are therefore essential to our well being.

Secondly, what is our response? For us, and many like us, the pandemic was almost a crisis of identity. We exist to connect with and inspire people with an experience that is visceral, felt, seen, heard... and shared. If you take that away from us, as the pandemic did, who are we? How could we replicate the physical experience of being at the Observatory? Of course, we couldn't- but what we could do is stay connected in different ways: AR apps, lesson plans, arts programmes, and much more.

Thirdly, what is our role in these seemingly crisis-ridden times? The challenge of climate change is real and soon to be irreversible with devastating consequences for our species and many others. What can we do about this? The answer is what we have always done. Our role is not to be didactic, to tell people what to think, do or feel.

Our role, and our mission, is to provide space for reflection, connection, hope and inspiration. How we do that changes as new technologies become available to us to reach new audiences, but the mission doesn't. Because without that catalytic moment of inspiration, nothing changes.

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)

Kielder Observatory has been making some improvements!

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Kielder Observatory has been making some improvements!

[fulltext] =>

Keeping Up Appearances

Our beloved Observatory has been open for over 14 years, and since then we've made plenty of changes and upgrades to both the facility and how we operate. From extending our reach at Kielder into the schools in Northumberland, to opening the Gillian Dickinson Astro Imaging Academy building in 2018. Kielder Observatory continues to grow.

Most recently we've made and planned a few more changes to improve our hilltop facility in Kielder. A timber building that spends over a decade amongst forestry experiences wear and tear from the elements, so we're going to be giving our Observatory some well-deserved TLC- conducting various building repairs, making minor fixes and ensuring we protect our home from inevitable damp.

Jupiter Sign

Speaking of forestry, the fast growing commercial Spruce trees surrounding the Observatory have been removed which guarantees unobstructed views through our telescopes. it allows native trees such as Pine, Rowan, Willow and Birch to come through, increasing the biodiversity surrounding us. The Observatory team are currently enjoying the last views of the resident Swallows before they migrate for the Autumn.

We're also in the process of improving safety and accessibility. Recently we opened a new composting toilet, and soon there will be a ramp installed to make this accessible for all users. We're also looking into lighting solution; at the Observatory we use red lights to preserve dark adapted vision whilst stargazing. The red lights that guide visitors up and down the track will be replaces and improved, and we're also looking into installing red strip lighting around the facility to improve visitor experience and safety.

Finally, through collaboration with Forestry England we now have a scale model of the solar system on the track that leads to the Observatory! On your next visit look out for the signs that feature each planet in our solar system, starting with Neptune in the bottom car park and finishing with the Sun at the top of the hill. The signs give you some interesting facts and information about each body, and the distances have been carefully measured to give you a real sense of scale on your way up Black Fell.

So, the next time you visit us, you'll be visiting an improved Observatory, featuring some exciting new additions to look out for. We hope to see you very soon.

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Kielder Observatory has been making some improvements!

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stdClass Object ( [id] => 236 [title] => Webb’s first images set the stage for a decade of discoveries [alias] => webb-s-first-images-set-the-stage-for-a-decade-of-discoveries [introtext] =>

[fulltext] =>

Webb’s first images set the stage for a decade of discoveries

Last night, 11th July 2022, the White House held a special event to preview one of the first science images captured by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). President Biden was joined by Vice President Harris and NASA Administrator Bill Nelson to reveal the first “Webb Deep Field”: a stupendously beautiful image of a distant galaxy cluster showing thousands of previously unseen galaxies in the background. Today, more images are set to be revealed which will showcase the possibilities of the most powerful space telescope to change all areas of astronomy research. Just like the Hubble Space Telescope before it, JWST will bring us answers to questions which have not even been asked at launch.

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After decades in development and months of launch delays, JWST (sometimes nicknamed “Webb”) finally lifted off on Christmas Day, 2021. If anything, it was the next few weeks which were the most fraught with terror for the astronomical community: with the Telescope launched, it was up to the automated systems to perform the delicate dance of unfolding the solar arrays and mirrors, before work on focusing could begin.

The first focused image from the primary mirror was released on 11th March 2022. A star which has previously been seen as eighteen separate images (a result of the mirror being made of eighteen hexagonal segments) was brought into brilliant focus, with a trove of faint galaxies visible in the background. Now the commissioning phase is over, JWST’s instruments are performing at or beyond their mission specification and the team have announced that there is enough fuel on board to last potentially twelve or more years.

The biggest difference between JWST and the Hubble Space Telescope is that the new telescope is designed to observe infrared light. Infrared (meaning ‘below red’) radiation is similar to the light our eyes can detect, only longer in wavelength and lower in energy. This is significant because, as our universe has expanded, light from the earliest stars and galaxies gets stretched from visible light into the infrared part of the spectrum, meaning JWST can literally see galaxies further back in the Universe than any telescope before it. Infrared radiation is also emitted by objects cooler than stars, such as galactic dust which glows in low energy infrared (known as “far infrared”, or FIR).

One reason it is so important to have a large infrared observatory in space is that infrared light does not travel well through the Earth’s atmosphere, so while observatories atop mountains and in arid locations such as the Atacama Desert have infrared capabilities, getting out of the atmosphere entirely is worth the hassle.

Perhaps the most incredible statistic about the preview image unveiled on Monday night is that the total exposure time was only around 12.5 hours, and yet the telescope was able to detect sources fainter than can be found in the Hubble Deep Field which were exposed for over a week.

Clearly visible in the foreground of the image are a number of stars. They are distinguishable by their six-pronged diffraction spikes, a by-product of the arms which hold the telescope’s secondary mirror in place. Every other source in the image is a galaxy, each containing billions of stars.

The cluster in the centre of the image, known as SMACS 0723, had been observed by the Hubble Space Telescope and was known to be a good example of an effect known as gravitational lensing. Each of the yellow-white blobs is a massive elliptical galaxy which has been created by the merging of several smaller galaxies, but there is yet more matter there in the form of Dark Matter. All this comes together to create a gravitational pull so strong that light from background galaxies is pulled in new directions on its way past. The arcs you see around the edge of the cluster are galaxies situated behind the cluster but whose light has been bent back towards us as it passed the foreground cluster.

Due to the tiny angles typically involved in gravitational lensing, it is only visible as an effect when looking at truly distant galaxies (SMACS 0723 is around 4 billion light years away). This is why JWST’s unparalleled resolving power and sensitivity will play such a vital part in understanding how dark matter is distributed throughout the Universe.

But it is not just pretty pictures which will come from this new observatory, it also houses two state of the art spectral instruments which will allow even more knowledge to be gleaned from objects far and near in the Universe.

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The spectrum being released Tuesday is of the exoplanet WASP 96b. This world is twice the mass of Saturn and yet orbits its host star in just under four days. One of the science goals of JWST is to use the fact that light from a star will have to pass through the atmosphere if an exoplanet transiting in front of it, meaning the profile of absorption lines carved out of the star’s spectrum will be slightly different within and outwith transits. JWST’s infrared spectrometers are sensitive enough to pick out these differences, allowing us to study exoplanets in greater detail than ever before and hopefully find atmospheres around exoplanets which might be capable of hosting life.

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Two more targets within our galaxy will be revealed by JWST’s imaging cameras during the press event: the Carina Nebula and the Southern Ring Nebula. The Carina Nebula is an enormous (over 200 light year wide) cloud of gas which is collapsing to form new stars, it also plays host to Eta Carina, an unstable pair of massive stars of which one which may be close to going supernova. The Southern Ring Nebula (NGC 3132) is a bubble of gas expelled by a medium sized star (more massive than our Sun but no more than about eight times its mass) at the end of its life. Such stars do not explode in a supernova but rather puff out the outermost layers of their atmospheres to reveal their central carbon core, known as a white dwarf star.

In visible light images of these nebulae, we see glowing gas illuminated by the energetic ultraviolet and x-ray light from the white dwarf or from bright, young stars. In a star-forming nebula such as the Carina Nebula, we know that it is in the coldest areas where gravity can begin pulling the slow-moving gas together to create new stars. JWST’s cameras will allow us to pull back what had previously been an obscuring curtain of opaque, cold dust and probe the regions around newly forming stars in greater detail. We will also be able to better understand how quickly the Universe came to be filled with heavy elements (to astronomers, ‘heavy’ elements means any atom larger than helium).

The final target on the list for JWST’s press day is called Stephen’s Quintet. This group of interacting galaxies is unique in this list in that they are in the northern celestial hemisphere, making them observable from here at Kielder, though only with our camera-equipped telescopes. This group of spiral and irregular galaxies is locked in a billions of years long dance towards merging into a giant elliptical galaxy. While we can observe the light from the stars in the galaxies, we can extract more information about the nature of these galaxies’ interactions by studying the darker dust. When galaxies merge, the stars do not generally collide with each other as the distance between them is too vast. However the larger dust clouds, with matter more evenly spread through space, do collide and this can lead to bursts of star formation in recently merged galaxies. JWST will be able to measure which of the large clumps of gas within these galaxies have begun to warm up as the result of new stars forming deep within them.

We are only at the beginning of the JWST era, which will see some of the greatest leaps forward in our understanding of the Universe. Each result is a testament to the diligence and dedication thousands of astronomers and engineers, from around the world, who painstakingly designed, refined, built, tested, modelled, rebuilt, launched and commissioned this telescope into its current, science-ready state. The debate over whether James Webb, who oversaw two US Government organisations throughout a period where it was routine for Government employees to lose their jobs for even being suspected of being homosexual, is an appropriate figure to name such an historic observatory after will continue among the astronomical community.

The wait for JWST science operations has been long, and at times it may have felt like we might not reach this moment, but if the results we have seen so far are anything to go by then it will absolutely have been worth the wait.

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Photographer brings Kielder dark skies down to earth

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Photographer brings Kielder dark skies down to earth

[fulltext] =>

Photographer brings Kielder dark skies down to earth

A photographic exhibition is giving visitors the chance to explore the darkness of a winter Kielder night throughout the summer months.

Created by photographic artist Helen McGhie, and located on the Skyspace walking trail, the exhibition explores a night of winter stargazing at Kielder through portraits suspended between the trees. The portraits show stargazers, astronomy equipment and the environment.

Helen is Senior Lecturer in Photography at the University of Sunderland. The exhibition ‘Another Dimension’ is part of her PhD research, exploring how photographic art can create new ways to experience dark skies in northern England. The work is supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council’s National Productivity Investment Fund.

Helen said: “My photographs aim to bring a sense of the winter dark sky experience to the summer. I’m interested in those moments when our eyes adapt to night vision, which can feel a bit unsettling at first. I remember the first time I visited Kielder – I got out of my car, stretched out my arm and couldn’t see my hand!

“Through this work I have tried to capture the imaginative experience of stargazing. I like to look up at the sky and imagine distant worlds, I sometimes wonder if there are others looking back at me from elsewhere in the universe. It’s fun to imagine that Earth might be a curious ‘other world’ that another planet may wish to discover.”

Catherine Johns, CEO Kielder Observatory, said: “Kielder Observatory has worked in partnership with Helen for several years and her uniquely creative art helps bring new audiences and new experiences to our dark skies and explores how they inspire us. We’re delighted to have a new exhibition on the walk to the observatory.”

Another Dimension outdoor photography exhibit

Alex MacLennan, Recreation, Public Affairs Manager Northumberland, Forestry England, said: “This project is another great example of how people engage with the dark skies of Northumberland International Dark Sky Park which was created in 2013.

“We are thrilled to be working with Helen and Sunderland University nine years on in a new way to engage and showcase Kielder and this project will be really popular with visitors walking or cycling up to Skyspace and onto Kielder Observatory.”

A series of walking tours will be scheduled as part of the exhibition. There are 11 banners installed on part of the Skyspace walking trail (starting from Skyspace car park) in Kielder Forest. Ticketed parking is available at Skyspace car park at all times, please note there is no vehicular access to the track except for those with a ticket for an observatory event in the evening (please follow traffice flow rules). The walking tour launches for the bank holiday weekend (2 June) and the work is on show until the 30 September.

Helen is keen to hear what people think of the exhibition and welcomes comments through social media: @visitkielder #kielderdarkskies or contact Helen at: helen.mcghie@sunderland.ac.uk.

You can also view a virtual part of Another Dimension hosted on our website, link here.

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Photographer brings Kielder dark skies down to earth

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Kielder Observatory opens doors for new light nights festival

stdClass Object ( [id] => 234 [title] => Late Nights Light Nights Festival [alias] => late-nights-light-nights-festival [introtext] =>

Kielder Observatory opens doors for new light nights festival

[fulltext] =>

Kielder Observatory opens doors for new light nights festival

Late Nights Light Nights! Yes, we are famed for our dark skies at Kielder but we thought we'd have some fun with the lighter nights of summer so come to the Obsy for some comedy, a movie, and a light year academy for kids! 24th - 26th June, one weekend only - don't miss out!

The Late Nights, Light Nights Festival will kick off on Friday June 24 with a comedy night featuring comic group Felt Nowt, with comedians, Lauren Stone, Sean Turner and hosted by Elaine Robertson. After the show, there will be the opportunity for some star gazing, weather permitting, and a tour of the observatory.

Comedy host Elaine Robertson

On Saturday and Sunday (June 25-26), the Light Year Academy will see all the observatory’s Space Kid events combined into one stellar show. Children can learn about the solar system, our planet, have a tour of the observatory, help detect different types of invisible light, and look at the observatory’s space rock collection. It will be followed by a talk about space exploration and astronauts before children have the opportunity to make their own rockets.

Saturday evening features a screening of the classic sci-fi film starring Jodie Foster, Contact, followed by a presentation to explore the science behind the film by one of the astronomers and a tour of the observatory.

Catherine Johns, CEO of Kielder Observatory, said: “Kielder is famous for its dark skies, but we thought we would have a bit of fun with the lighter nights, demonstrating there is always something to see in the night sky. We hope this Late Nights, Light Nights Festival inspires and entertains our visitors just as much as our highly sought-after Late Nights Dark Skies events.”

For our full calendar of events at the observatory click here.

Pic cap: Elaine Robertson will be hosting the comedy night featuring Felt Nowt.

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Kielder Observatory opens doors for new light nights festival

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Spectacular Jubilee beacon to crown 2,000 foot forest peak

stdClass Object ( [id] => 233 [title] => Platinum Jubilee Beacon Event at Kielder Observatory [alias] => platinum-jubilee-beacon-event-at-kielder-observatory [introtext] =>

Spectacular Jubilee beacon to crown 2,000 foot forest peak

[fulltext] =>

The highest tribute! Steve Cram to light Jubilee beacon on 2,000 foot peak

-Update - tickets now sold out. Waiting list available through link below.-

One of the highest beacons in Northumberland is set to be lit in Kielder Water and Forest Park to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The lofty tribute by Forestry England and Kielder Observatory will be ignited by athletics legend Steve Cram CBE at 21.45 on Thursday 2 June.

Its spectacular location on top of 2,000 foot Deadwater Fell will mean it is visible for hundreds of square miles across the Borders between Scotland and England. Forming one of 1,500 so called “anchor beacons” being lit in the UK and Commonwealth this major initiative is being co-ordinated by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. Kielder Observatory has also linked up with forest chiefs to provide a spectacular public viewpoint of the occasion across the valley.

Alex MacLennan, Recreation and Public Affairs Manager in Northumberland for Forestry England, commented: “From the summit it’s claimed that you can see both the Solway Firth and the North Sea on a clear day so we could hardly have found a better place to light the beacon. It’s a real privilege for everyone at Kielder to be part of this special celebration and we are also thrilled to have Steve Cram doing the honours. It will be a fabulous sight and we’ve got fingers' crossed for good weather."

Catherine Johns, Chief Executive Officer of Kielder Observatory, added: “We’re excited to join in the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Kielder Observatory will be such an inspirational place to witness the beacon being lit and be part of this historic event. We’ll also be livestreaming the beacon lighting from one of our telescopes, subject to the weather being clear, for those who are unable to attend.” Tickets for the event are free and can be booked here. Priority will be given to people who live in the Kielder and the North Tyne areas but anyone can register in case spaces become available. UPDATE - tickets now sold out, but waiting list is available by signing up using the above link.

Kielder Beacon Deadwater Fell Copy

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Spectacular Jubilee beacon to crown 2,000 foot forest peak

)

Lunar eclipses are fascinating, beautiful celestial events. Read more to find out how they happen and how to see them.

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Lunar eclipses are fascinating, beautiful celestial events. Read more to find out how they happen and how to see them.

[fulltext] =>

What is a Lunar Eclipse

By Naz Jahanshahi

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth perfectly aligns itself between the Sun and the Moon, obstructing the light from the Sun and stopping it from lighting up the Moon’s surface. As the Moon begins to enter Earth’s shadow, its face begins to darken more and more until the Sun is completely hidden by the Earth. At this stage, the Moon enters the Earth’s umbra – the darkest part of the Earth’s shadow – and takes on a reddish hue. The red light reflecting on the Moon’s surface during the total eclipse phase is due to the light from the Sun passing through the Earth's atmosphere at the edges of our planet and being bent towards the Moon. This can be better understood if we think about it as if we are seeing the light from all of the sunrises and sunsets on Earth reflecting off the lunar surface.

So, what is a partial or a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse?

A partial lunar eclipse or a penumbral lunar eclipse takes place when the Sun, Earth and Moon do not perfectly align. A partial lunar eclipse happens when the Moon only passes through a small part of the Earth’s umbra, therefore only a fraction of the Moon will appear red. However, a penumbral lunar eclipse is different. Sometimes, the Moon only passes into the Earth’s penumbra, the dimmer part of Earth’s shadow that exists around the umbra. Some parts of the Moon’s surface will appear darker, but penumbral lunar eclipses are far less apparent.

IMG 8976 2 Copy

What is the duration of a Lunar Eclipse?

The duration of a total lunar eclipse can be up to a couple of hours. Add on the time it takes for the Earth and the Moon to perfectly align, the whole event can go on for quite a while. Plenty of opportunity to set up cameras or telescopes, or to give the clouds a chance to shift!

When can I see a Lunar Eclipse?

Being able to see a lunar eclipse depends on your location and where the moon is in the sky at that location when it is occurring. If your location is on the daytime side of the planet when the event is taking place, then it will not be possible to see it. This means we can see some lunar eclipses from the UK, but not all. Visit timeanddate.com/eclipse/ and enter your location to see a list of all of the visible lunar and solar eclipses from where you are. The next lunar eclipse that will be visible from the UK will happen in the very early morning hours of May 16th. It begins at around 2:30am (may differ by a few minutes for different parts of the UK) when the Moon will begin to enter the Earth’s penumbra. The moon will begin to enter the umbra and start to look red around 3:30am. A total lunar eclipse will take place at 4:30am, when the Moon will look completely red. The Moon will be very close to the southwestern horizon when this happens, so an unobstructed view in this direction is essential. Finding a hill or a high point in your area is recommended. As the total lunar eclipse phase begins, the Moon may quickly become too faint to see at all, but the darkening of the moon before this happens is still a spectacular sight.

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Lunar eclipses are fascinating, beautiful celestial events. Read more to find out how they happen and how to see them.

)

Kielder Observatory - Hundreds of youngsters to benefit from STEM to Stars project

A project to inspire school children across the North East to reach for the stars and pursue careers in STEM has received funding to reach even more youngsters.

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A project to inspire school children across the North East to reach for the stars and pursue careers in STEM has received funding to reach even more youngsters.

[fulltext] =>

STEM to Stars project supported by the Reece Foundation

Kielder Observatory, set in Kielder Water and Forest Park, in Northumberland, has secured a further grant from the Reece Foundation to send its astronomers into 45 more schools across the North East.

The children are formed into Kielder Star Groups and carry out science and engineering learning activities. The students are part of an observing group where they have an astronomer on call, remote tuition and mentoring.

Students who contribute the most to the groups have the opportunity to become Kielder Observatory Ambassadors where they receive extra tuition and work placements at Kielder. Further placements are then identified for some ambassadors at cutting edge companies or universities.

Catherine Johns, CEO of Kielder Observatory, said: “We’re delighted that once again the Reece Foundation has supported our STEM to Stars project, enabling even more young people to be inspired. We want children to make the direct link between STEM subjects at school and STEM career opportunities.

“We’re also looking forward to seeing participants become part of Kielder Constellations, an ongoing network of students, academics and business people who are, or who have been, part of the project.”

Zoe Carr, CEO, of WISE Academies, which will be taking part in the project said the schools were delighted to have been part of the pilot and were looking forward to students benefitting further.

STEM1

She said: “Our young people thoroughly enjoyed working with the astronomers and their visit to the Kielder Observatory. In our end of project survey, around 60 per cent of students expressed they would be interested in pursuing a STEM related career. It’s fantastic that our primary aged pupils are becoming increasingly aware of the possibilities they have ahead of them through projects like this one.”

As part of the learning activities, the project will explore the Carrington Event and look at the innovation and engineering needed to build a more resilient world. The 1859 Carrington event, named after Richard Carrington, an observer at Durham University, was the most intense geomagnetic storm recorded in history which knocked out the fledgling telegraph system.

Added Catherine: “If something similar happened today it could be catastrophic, with satellites and power knocked out, bringing our world to a standstill. Exploring the effect of another Carrington allows us to use astronomy as a way to think about climate change, data science and engineering.”

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A project to inspire school children across the North East to reach for the stars and pursue careers in STEM has received funding to reach even more youngsters.

)

Frank's Fellowship bursary now open for applications

Applications have now opened for Frank's Fellowship bursary for young artists in Northumberland to be inspired by Kielder Observatory

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Applications have now opened for Frank's Fellowship bursary for young artists in Northumberland to be inspired by Kielder Observatory

[fulltext] =>

Applications now open for Frank's Fellowship

It is established in memory of Frank Fortescue, who loved nothing more than being in the forest and loved the night sky.

Applicants must be between 14 and 18 and resident in any part of Northumberland. It is not required that they are studying art or design at school or college. The bursary can be used to cover materials, travel to Kielder and other expenses.

No outcome is necessarily expected - while the creation of work is welcomed, this is a development opportunity for young people to experience new inspiration for their artistic practice.

There will be two rounds for applicants, one in 2022 and one in 2023. To enter, all you have to do to apply is submit up to 300 words or a 2-minute video describing what this opportunity would mean to you. Successful applicants will be able to attend a Fellowship day at the Observatory, have access to Observatory events for themselves and a legal guardian (subject to ticket availability) and be connected to the Observatory's professional artist network.

To apply please complete our online form here. If you are under 18 years old a parent or guardian will need to sign the form too before submission. Applications close on Monday 25th April 2022.

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Applications have now opened for Frank's Fellowship bursary for young artists in Northumberland to be inspired by Kielder Observatory

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Hannah Matterson has joined the team at Kielder Observatory as the new operations and marketing director.

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Hannah Matterson has joined the team at Kielder Observatory as the new operations and marketing director.

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Kielder Observatory appoints new operations and marketing director

Hannah Matterson has joined the team Kielder Observatory.

Hannah has worked in a variety of roles over the last ten years, including as CEO of music talent development agency generator, Innovation Partnerships Developer with Manchester Metropolitan University and as a fundraiser and development manager for a number of cultural organisations across the North East. Her career to date has been focused around building cross-sector partnerships, developing businesses and promoting greater access to the arts for many communities. She will continue to pursue those avenues with regard to STEM activity and support the whole team at Kielder Observatory.

Catherine Johns, CEO, of Kielder Observatory, said: “We’re delighted that someone with Hannah’s skills and experience has joined the team as we drive the development strategy forward. Hannah will be a valuable support to the charity as we continue to expand and reach out to more communities so they can experience the wonder of Kielder no matter where they are in the country.”

Hannah added: “I’m thrilled to have joined the team at Kielder Observatory. Astronomy is such a fascinating subject, one which I’m learning more about each day, and I can’t wait to put my knowledge and experience to good use to help the observatory further develop its offer to those across the North East and beyond.”

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Hannah Matterson has joined the team at Kielder Observatory as the new operations and marketing director.

)

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What’s up October 2023

Meteor showers:

Orionids peak 21st-22nd October:

Constellations:

Planets:

Moon Phases:

Partial Lunar Eclipse:

North East skies alight with colourful aurora

Frank's Fellowship Round Two Concludes

Look Up! Project at HMP Northumberland