September 2011

September sees the launch of the 2011 Astronomy Photographer of the Year exhibition in the Royal Observatory’s Astronomy Centre, displaying the breath-taking winning images from this year’s competition. Visitors can explore the skies from the comfort of the Peter Harrison Planetarium, with every show including a live element presented by a Royal Observatory astronomer. For those who are keen to learn more about space, four astronomy courses also kick off at the Observatory this month. These range from an introductory course through to GCSE Astronomy and Planetary Geology, plus there is a special addition to the course programme comprising of a series of weekly talks given by Royal Observatory astronomers that explore an area of astronomy related to their research expertise.

All events, exhibitions and planetarium shows listed here are situated in the Royal Observatory’s Astronomy Centre. Entry to the Astronomy Centre is free of charge; admission charges apply to planetarium shows, courses and to some ticketed events – see below for details.

Exhibitions

Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2011

The annual Astronomy Photographer of the Year exhibition opens at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich on 9 September, displaying the spectacular winning images from this year’s competition. The winners will be announced on 8 September and the exhibition opens to the public the following day in the Observatory’s Astronomy Centre.

From distant galaxies to our very own Milky Way and neighbouring planets, the entries to this year’s competition reflect our enduring fascination with the night sky. Images on display include the winners from four main categories: Earth and Space, Our Solar System, Deep Space and Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year, as well as three special prize winners. Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2011 is organised by the Royal Observatory, Greenwich in association with Sky at Night Magazine.

Entry to the Astronomy Centre and to the exhibition is free of charge.

Dates: 9 September 2011–19 February 2012
Venue: Astronomy Centre, Royal Observatory, Greenwich
Opening times: 10.00 – 17.00
Admission: Free

Family Events

Saturday Space Explorers

Come along to this family friendly workshop and discover how to make a tellurian – a model that shows how day and night and the seasons result from the tilt and rotation of the Earth and its journey around the Sun.

Date: 24 September
Times: 14.00, 14.30, 15.00, 15.30, 16.00, 16.30
Venue: Astronomy Centre, Activity Space
Admission: free
Age: 5+

Adult Courses

Introduction to Astronomy

This short 6-week course offers a fantastic introduction to astronomy for beginners, providing an introduction to the night sky and exploring a broad range of topics, from planetary systems and stars to galaxies and cosmology. Students will have access to a unique range of resources, from a state-of-the-art digital planetarium to a historic 28-inch visual refracting telescope.

Date: Tuesday, 13 September–18 October
Time: 19.00–21.00
Venue: Learning Centre, Royal Observatory
Price: £70 (£56 concessions)

GCSE Astronomy

GCSE Astronomy students studying at the ROG will have access to a wide range of resources in a unique environment, including a state-of-the-art digital planetarium and historic 28-inch diameter refracting telescope. A range of resources are provided to support student learning including a CD ROM of course materials, an astronomical calendar and a book on stellar evolution. Students are assessed through coursework and a final examination. GCSE Astronomy covers a wide range of astronomical topics, including the Sun, Earth and Moon, planetary systems, stars, galaxies and cosmology and is taught by Royal Observatory Astronomer, Dr Radmilla Topalovic.

Date: Tuesday, 13 September 2011–15 May 2012
Time: 18.30–21.00
Venue: Learning Centre, Royal Observatory
Price: £350 (£280 concessions)

Planetary Geology

(In association with Liverpool John Moores University)

In this course Dr Alan Longstaff investigates the current theories concerning the formation of the solar system, examining the key factors that determine the original make-up of a planet’s geology.

Focusing on the Earth and the Moon, the course explores the geological processes that shape solar system bodies. It also looks at the deep geological history of the rocky planets, addressing issues such as whether liquid water once flowed on Mars, or plate tectonics were ever active on Venus. The combination of LJMU course materials and the unique facilities of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, provide students with unprecedented levels of support and with regular face-to-face contact with a tutor and fellow students.

NB: To book you must first enroll on the appropriate correspondence course with LJMU before enrolling in classes at the Observatory

Date: Tuesday, 13 September–6 December
Time: 19.00–21.00
Venue: Learning Centre, Royal Observatory
Price: £135 to register with LJMU for UK residents
           £130 (£104 concessions) to book into classes at the Royal Observatory

Royal Observatory Astronomers

New for 2011, this wide-ranging course is presented by the astronomers who currently work at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. Each week one of the team will explore an area of astronomy related to their research expertise, painting a broad picture of modern astronomy and its future. This course is intended for people who already have some knowledge of physics or astronomy, although no formal scientific qualification is required.

Date: Tuesdays: 13 September–18 October
Time: 19.00–21.00
Venue: Learning Centre, Royal Observatory
Price: £70 (£56 concessions)

Planetarium Shows

Peter Harrison Planetarium

The state-of-the-art Peter Harrison Planetarium is the centrepiece of the Royal Observatory's Astronomy Centre and is now the only planetarium in London. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

NB: The planetarium with will closed all day on 12 September for maintenance

Impact: from Halley to Hayabusa

This show explores our understating of comets and asteroids, from the discoveries of Edmund Halley in 1705 to the daring Japanese Hayabusa probe mission to the asteroid Itokawa in 2005 and beyond. Find out about the violent processes that led to the formation of the solar system, leaving our cosmic neighbourhood littered with icy comets and rocky asteroids. Plus discover what this cosmic debris can tell us about the origin of our world and the threat it poses to life on Earth.

Dates: throughout September 2011
Times: 11.45, 13.30, 15.15 (weekends and holiday weekdays) 
            14.45 (weekdays during term-time)
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 moons.

Dates: throughout September 2011
Times: 12.45 | 16.15 (weekends and holiday weekdays)
            15.45 (weekdays during term-time)
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. The show is presented live by a Royal Observatory Greenwich astronomer.

Dates: throughout September 2011
Time: 11.00 (weekends and holiday weekdays)
           12.45, 13.45 (Tuesday during term-time)
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 entertaining interactive show, where you decide which planets to visit. The show is presented live by a Royal Observatory Greenwich astronomer.

Dates: throughout September 2011
Times: 14.30 (weekends and holiday weekdays)
             12.45, 13.45 (Monday and Wednesday during term-time)
Venue: Peter Harrison Planetarium
Admission: £6.50 adults | £4.50 children/concessions | £17.50 family ticket
Age: recommended for ages 5+

Solar System, Galaxy, Universe

This new show explores the scale of the solar system, Galaxy and universe and how we measure it, investigating the structure of the universe from the smallest planets to the largest galactic superclusters.

Dates: throughout September 2011
Times: 12.45, 13.45 (Thursday and Friday during 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

Astronomy Galleries

Situated in the Astronomy Centre, these three visually striking galleries provide opportunities to explore astronomy and our place in the universe. With amazing hands-on exhibits helping to provide answers to big questions, the galleries discover 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: £7 adults | Entry for children under 16 is free | Concessions £5
Annual Pass: £10 adults | Concessions £7.50 (valid for 12 months)
Admission price includes entry to Flamsteed House, the Meridian Courtyard and the Meridian building in addition to the Time Galleries.

General Information

Admission to the Astronomy Centre at the Royal Observatory Greenwich is free.

Admission to the Royal Observatory’s historic Flamsteed House, Time Galleries, Meridian Line Courtyard and Meridian Building is £7 for adults (£5 concessions). Entry for children under 16 is free. An annual pass is also available for adults priced at £10 (£7.50 concessions); this pass allows visitors to return as many times as they like within 12 months for no additional charge.

Until 4 September the Royal Observatory, Greenwich will be operating extended summer opening hours for Flamsteed House, the Time Galleries, Meridian Line Courtyard and the Meridian Building as follows: Last admission 18.30, galleries close 19.00. The Astronomy Centre will close at the usual time of 17.00.

The site opens at 10.00 as normal throughout this period.

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

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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