Astrophysics Research Centre

Queen's University Belfast • School of Mathematics & Physics

Outreach Activities

• We host the bi-monthly meetings of the Irish Astronomical Association. This is a lecture programme aimed at promoting public understanding of astronomy and enthusing young people with the wonder of the night sky. The lecture programme for 2007/8 is available here, and we have a rota of ARC members who will attend each meeting to make sure things run smoothly.

• All staff within the Centre offer talks to interested schools, as part of the School of Maths & Physics Outreach activities. Below are brief descriptions of the talks currently available. Feel free to contact us for more details.

  Why is the sky blue? - Dr Mihalis Mathioudakis

  The appearance of the Sun changes with the time of the day and we are often amazed by the spectacular colours associated with sunrises and sunsets. This lecture will provide a description of the processes involved in the generation of the colours we encounter in the sky.

  The Death of the Dinosaurs - Prof. Alan Fitzsimmons

  It has been realised that the dinosaurs probably died out due to the collision of an asteroid or comet with Earth. Will this also be the fate of humanity? This talk discusses how scientists have reached their general understanding of this, and explains the role of school-level science such as radioactivity, energy and the solar system. An overview of how scientists are tackling this threat is also given.

  Supernovae & Gamma-ray bursts - Dr. Stephen Smartt

  Supernovae are the explosions of the most massive stars in the Universe. Their energy release is immense, they can be more than a billion times brighter that the Sun. Supernovae have created the chemical elements that make up ourselves and our solar system, providing the critical ingredients for life. The mysterious gamma-ray bursts first discovered in the 1970s as unpredictable pulses of gamma-ray radiation scattered over the sky have recently been shown to be linked to the most energetic of supernovae. These are explosions where a rapidly spinning star collapses to form a black hole. This talk describes the life and death of the Universe's most massive stars.

  The Science in Science Fiction films and TV - Prof. Francis Keenan

  In these presentations I use short clips from films and television programmes to illustrate how science-fiction in the media sometimes gets science right, but more often gets it wrong! Additionally, I show how difficult it is to make accurate predictions about the future, and hence why most science-fiction films and television are extremely unrealistic.

  There are 4 presentations from which to choose, namely:

  1. To Boldly Go Where No-One Has Gone Before.
     This presentation looks at the depiction of space travel in science-fiction movies and television shows, and how realistic this is.
  2. Set Phasers To Stun!
     A look at weapons in science-fiction, such as ray guns, and space battles from movies such as Star Wars.
  3. We Come In Peace.
     A look at the portrayal of aliens in science-fiction, including that staple of many movies and television shows, the alien invasion.
  4. Back To The Future.
     A look at how the predictions made in science-fiction movies and television shows have sometimes come true, but are often totally wrong.

  Each presentation runs to 45 minutes, and requires facilities for XGA video display and audio.

  We come in peace... Shoot to kill!!! - Dr Robert Ryans

  The most exciting parts of any Science Fiction movie or TV show are usually those involving battles against suitably fearsome opponents, using a variety of exotic weapons. But how realistic are the weapons that we see? Using clips from Star Trek, Stargate SG1, Star Wars, Independence Day, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Firefly, Battlestar Galactica, and others, we will look at some classic SciFi weapons and the physics (or lack of it!) behind them.

  Is There Anyone Out There? - Prof. Philip Dufton

  During our lifetime, we may well discover extraterrestrial life. This talk describes the searches that are being undertaken and their chances of success. It also attempts to estimate the number of extraterrestrial civilisations and explain why none of them have contacted us.