We pick the best live and virtual astronomy events and resources this month
South Downs Dark Skies Festival
South Downs National Park, 10–18 February Not to be outdone by its northern counterparts, the South Downs National Park also hosts a stargazing festival this month, with attractions to include star parties, nocturnal wildlife walks and more.
www.southdowns.gov.uk/dark-night-skies/dark-skies-festival
Galaxy Season: Why There is One and What to See
Queen’s Buildings, Cardiff University, 1 February, 7:30pm Cardiff Astronomical Society kicks off the month with observatory manager Dr Jane Clark’s talk about galaxy season. That’s followed by ‘Astrophotography from Cornwall’ on 15 February and ‘Criminals in Astronomy’ on 29 February. Free for members, visitors welcome.
www.cardiff-astronomical-society.co.uk
Spectacular, Strange and Startling: CERN’s Latest Experiment
Lewes Town Hall, 7 February, 7:30pm In this Lewes Astronomical Society talk, Marguerite Laporte discusses groundbreaking work by her colleagues at CERN that promises to “revolutionise our understanding of the cosmos”. All welcome. £3 for non-members.
lewesas.org.uk
The European Southern Observatory: Over 60 Years at the Cutting Edge
Bredhurst Village Hall, Gillingham 9 February, 7:45pm Peter Grimley celebrates the spirit of international cooperation that birthed the ESO in 1962 and the many scientific breakthroughs it has been responsible for since. Free for members, £3 non-members.
www.midkentastro.org.uk
The Search for Dark Matter
Goostrey Village Hall, Cheshire, 20 February, 8pm Some scientists believe it holds the answer to everything, others question its very existence! Find out all about the Universe’s most abundant and elusive component in this talk by Macclesfield Astronomical
