I have many talks prepared on a wide variety of astronomical topics, which can be adapted for a range of different audiences. Examples include:
Small bodies of the Solar System | Your place in the cosmos |
The beauty and science of nebulae | When galaxies collide |
The early Universe | The Sun, our nearest star |
The red planet | X-ray astrophysics: the high energy cosmos |
The cool Universe | Dark energy and the ever-expanding Universe |
The search for dark matter | An introduction to the Milky Way |
Exploring the Solar System | Star dust |
Our nearest neighbour, the Moon | The lives of stars |
Atmospheric phenomena | Comets - visitors from the frozen edge of the Solar System |
Exoplanets and how to find them | Echoes of the Big Bang |
Large telescopes and why we need them | Rotation in space |
A voyage round Saturn, its rings and moons | The sounds of the Universe |
The age of the Universe | Clusters of galaxies |
The next big questions | Quasars, the brightest black holes |
How the Earth moves | The transient Universe |
Many of these talks were refined during my 2011-2015 stint as the Professor of Astronomy at Gresham College in the City of London.
Short abstracts, video recordings, a copy of the slides and a transcript are available for all 24 of my Gresham lectures, at a
dedicated Gresham College website.
These videos are also available on YouTube, and have amassed over 2.4 million views so far (by Nov 18)- thanks guys!
Here are some short abstracts for talks listed above but not included at the Gresham website:
Views of the Universe Your place in the cosmos
Everyone knows space is big - but where and how do we and the planet we live on fit into the Solar System, or our own Galaxy? Then what lies beyond the Milky Way? This talk will introduce you to the scale, structure and geography of our Universe. Come along and get a new sense of perspective...
Dark energy and the ever-expanding Universe
Get up to date with the new cosmology - what are dark matter and dark energy? Why do astronomers think they account for the 'missing' 96% of our Universe, and what does this mean for the future?
An introduction to the Milky Way
How much do you know about the Galaxy we live in? You may know about the bright blue star clusters that spin around in the spiral arms, the diffuse pink nebulae that highlight where new stars are being born... But what is lurking at the core of the galaxy, obscured by swathes of dust clouds? Why do we think we can only observe a fraction of the matter out there? And what is the Milky Way's eventual fate...?
The wonders of the Solar System/Exploring the Solar System
This are catch-all titles for an adaptable talk that can cover either a very simple introduction-to-the-planets for youngsters, to more complete ideas and up-to-date information about the current progress in Solar System exploration.