April Events at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich (ROG)
April 2011
Impact Season runs at the Royal Observatory throughout April, exploring the exciting world of comets, asteroids, meteorites and craters through a new exhibition, Impact: collisions and catastrophes, alongside a programme of events running until the end of August. This month sees author Ted Nield giving a talk about his acclaimed book, Incoming! Or, Why We Should Stop Worrying and Learn to Love the Meteorite. April also marks the 50th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s historic mission to become the first man in space, and the ROG will be celebrating with a special planetarium show, Dawn of the Space Age, running throughout the Easter holidays along with some specially themed Star Party events.
Exhibitions
Impact: collisions and catastrophes
From the dazzling beauty of a meteor shower to the devastating impact of a giant asteroid, the Earth is constantly bombarded by debris from space. This new exhibition uses spectacular images, film and interactive exhibits to take a look at these fiery visitors and their effects on our planet, from tiny craters to death and destruction on a global scale. It also explores the vital clues that asteroids and meteorites provide about the violent formation of the solar system and the origins of life itself. Plus there’s the chance to see and touch real space rocks in the ROG’s astronomy galleries.
Dates: until 29 August
Venue: Astronomy Centre, Exhibition Space
Admission: Free
Events
Easter Star Parties: Gagarin 50
Yuri Gagarin’s journey into space was a defining moment in space exploration. Fifty years later scientists have their sights set on sending astronauts much deeper into space, this time to visit an asteroid. Come and celebrate the 50th anniversary of Gagarin’s historic journey at the Royal Observatory, including the Dawn of the Space Age planetarium show, a chance to look at the Moon through our gigantic 28-inch telescope and an opportunity to use small telescopes in the Meridian Courtyard.
Dates: 13, 14 April
Times: 17.55, 18.00, 19.15, 19.20
Admission: £16 per person, £54 family ticket
Venue: Royal Observatory
Age: 5+
Family Events
During Impact Season, these monthly free family workshop focus on meteorites, with the chance to handle real space rocks and find out what we can learn from them.
Date: 30 April
Times: 14.00, 14.30, 15.00, 15.30, 16.00
Venue: Learning Centre
Admission: Free
Age: 5+
Adult Courses
There have been two paradigm shifts in our understanding of the structure and evolution of the universe. The first was the so-called Copernican revolution of the early 17th century. The second was the birth of modern Big Bang cosmology in the 20th century. In this course, Dr Simon Steel will look at the observations, inventions and insights that drove the discoveries that changed our ideas about the universe. Using an historical approach, the course will also make use of our current state of knowledge to put the major observations and discoveries in a modern context.
Date: 5 lectures, 26 April–24 May, Tues
Time: 19.00–21.00
Venue: Learning Centre
Price: £50
Talks and Lectures
Incoming! Or, Why We Should Stop Worrying and Learn to Love the Meteorite
Everyone knows that a giant meteor strike may have wiped out the dinosaurs, but new evidence suggests that some meteorites may actually have been beneficial for life on Earth. Geophysicist and author of acclaimed book, Incoming!, Dr Ted Nield, will explain why we may have cause to thank these visitors from the skies.
Date: 7 April
Time: 19.00
Venue: Royal Observatory
Admission: £10, £7.50 concessions
Planetarium Shows
Peter Harrison Planetarium
The state-of-the-art Peter Harrison Planetarium is the centrepiece of the Royal Observatory's modern astronomy centre and is now the only planetarium in London. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
The Shows
Dawn of the Space Age
Journeying from mankind’s first steps into space and daring lunar landings to today’s privately-operated space flights, this epic show running throughout the Easter holidays traces an important period of space exploration in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s historic journey into space.
Dates: 9–25 April 2011
Times: 11.45, 13.30, 15.15, 17.00 (weekends and holiday weekdays)
Venue: Peter Harrison Planetarium
Admission: £7.50 adults, £5.50 children/concessions, £20 family ticket
Age: recommended for ages 5+
The Sky Tonight: Easter Moon
Discover what the night sky has to offer over the Easter holidays, including the planet Saturn and the Lyrid meteor shower. Explore the link between the changing date of Easter and the Moon, and what its cratered surface tells us about the history of the solar system.
Dates: 9–25 April 2011
Times: 12.45, 16.15
Venue: Peter Harrison Planetarium
Admission: £6.50 adults, £4.50 children/concessions, £17.50 family ticket
Age: recommended for ages 5+
Sky Tonight Live
Take a tour of what can be seen in tonight’s sky with a Royal Observatory astronomer. The journey takes in stars, constellations, planets and awe-inspiring gas clouds.
Dates: Throughout April 2011
Times: 12.45, 16.15 (weekends and holiday weekdays)
15.45 (weekdays, term-time)
Venue: Peter Harrison Planetarium
Admission: £6.50 adults, £4.50 children/concessions, £17.50 family ticket
Age: recommended for ages 5+
Origins of Life takes the audience on an extraordinary journey through time and space. Starting with the Big Bang, the show explores the formation of stars, solar systems and the first life on Earth, as well as our search for life beyond our own planet.
Dates: until 8 April, then 26 April onwards
Times: 11.45, 13.30, 15.15, 17.00* (weekends and holiday weekdays)
14.45 (weekdays during term-time)
*17.00 show from 26 April onwards
Venue: Peter Harrison Planetarium
Admission: £6.50 adults, £4.50 children/concessions, £17.50 family ticket
Age: recommended for ages 5+
We are Astronomers
This visually striking show explores the nature of modern astronomy, from space telescopes to particle accelerators and deep space networks to the internet. It includes a short presentation given by an ROG astronomer and is narrated by David Tennant.
Dates: throughout April 2011
Times: 12.45, 13.45 (Wed, term-time only)
Venue: Peter Harrison Planetarium
Admission: £6.50 adults, £4.50 children/concessions, £17.50 family ticket
Age: recommended for ages 5+
Space Safari
Join Ted, the teddy bear, for live music and rhyme as he journeys throughout the solar system looking for the Great Bear in the sky.
Dates: throughout April 2011
Time: 11.00 (weekends and holiday weekdays)
12.45, 13.45 (Mon, term-time only)
Venue: Peter Harrison Planetarium
Admission: £6.50 adults, £4.50 children/concessions, £17.50 family ticket
Age: suitable for ages 7 and under
Meet the Neighbours
Earth travels around the Sun with seven other planets, hundreds of moons and millions of asteroids. Meet our neighbours in space in this new live planetarium show narrated by a Royal Observatory astronomer.
Dates: throughout April 2011
Times: 14.30 (weekends and holiday weekdays)
12.45, 13.45 (Tues, Fri, term-time)
Venue: Peter Harrison Planetarium
Admission: £6.50 adults, £4.50 children/concessions, £17.50 family ticket
Age: recommended for ages 5+
Star Life
Explore the fascinating lives of stars – how they are born, grow up, grow old and die. Plus discover how black holes and pulsars form and how beautiful clouds of glowing gas come into existence.
Dates: throughout April 2011
Times: 12.45, 13.45 (Thurs, term-time)
Venue: Peter Harrison Planetarium
Admission: £6.50 adults, £4.50 children/concessions, £17.50 family ticket
Age: recommended for ages 5+
Exhibitions and Galleries
Time and Space at the Royal Observatory
The Astronomy Galleries: Learn all about astronomy and our place in the universe in four visually striking galleries. With amazing hands-on exhibits helping to provide answers to big questions, the galleries explore how astronomers study space and explain recent developments in modern astronomy.
Admission: Free
Time Galleries: Explore the importance of time in all our lives through the interactive exhibits in galleries on ‘Time and Longitude’, ‘Time and Greenwich, and ‘Time and Society’.
Admission: £10 adults, Entry for children aged 15 and under is free, Concessions £7.50. The entry charge is an annual pass and includes admission to Flamsteed House, the Meridian Courtyard and the Meridian building in addition to the Time Galleries.
General Information
National Maritime Museum, Royal Observatory, Greenwich and Queen’s House are open: 10.00–17.00 daily.
General admission to National Maritime Museum and Queen’s House is free. From 8 March 2011 admission to the Royal Observatory’s historic Flamsteed House, Time Galleries, Meridian Line Courtyard and Meridian Building will be £10 for adults (£7.50 concessions). Entry for children aged 15 and under is free. The £10 entry is an annual pass (visitors will be able to return as many times as they like within 12 months for no additional charge). Admission to the Royal Observatory’s Astronomy Centre which houses three state-of-the-art modern astronomy galleries is free of charge.
For updated information prior to visit please visit our web site: http://www.rmg.co.uk or phone (020) 8858 4422.
For advance bookings for charged events please call 020 8312 6608 or email bookings@rmg.co.uk.
-ends-
For further information or images please contact:
Jenny Orton
National Maritime Museum Press Office
Tel: 020 8312 6545/6732, 07960 509802
Email: press@rmg.co.uk