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Astronomy Evening will whisk stargazers off to another planet as South Devon UTC hosts first community event

March 7, 2018 | News

Newton Abbot stargazers will have the opportunity to look at the night sky through large telescopes as South Devon University Technical College (UTC) is set to host a special Astronomy Evening.

The pioneering technical college will host the Astronomy evening on Thursday 15th March 2018 between 6pm and 10pm. The evening will consist of two talks, one at 6:45pm and the second at 8:15pm, plus a pizza buffet provided by the South Devon Pizza Company.

With more than 25 years experience, respected Astronomer Seb Jay will be leading the evening, guiding stargazers through the wonders of the night sky. Each talk will begin with an indoor presentation using special planetarium software projected on to a 2m wide screen. Providing guests with a live simulated view of the night sky, Seb will move around the galaxy to show the stars and constellations that stargazers will get to look at through the telescope. The presentation will also explore the major concepts in astronomy using what can be seen in the night sky. Topics will include why stars rise in the east and set in the west, how stars are born, why they are different colours and how stars die.

After the presentation, stargazers will head outside and explore the night sky for themselves using the large telescopes. Guided by Seb, guests will be able to find star systems, star clusters, nebulae, galaxies and possibly planets.

Ian Crews, Principal at South Devon UTC, commented: “We are delighted to announce that our first community event will be an Astronomy evening with Seb Jay and the South Devon Pizza Company. We are looking forward to welcoming novice and keen stargazers to the college to discover what lies in galaxies far, far away. The evening promises to be filled with mind-blowing facts, glistening stars and of course, plenty of wood-fired pizza.”

Ian continued: “At South Devon UTC, we are always looking for ways in which we can involve the community in which we are based. As a school that specialises in STEM subjects, we want to share our passion in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics with the rest of the community. Our Astronomy evening will be the first of many community events and will give people the chance to not only participate in a fun event but learn about South Devon UTC and what we do here. We’re expecting lots of interest in the event, so I encourage those interested to book their place soon.”

Doors to the event will open at 6pm with guests asked to arrive a minimum of 15 minutes before the start of their chosen talk time. The pizza buffet will be available from 6pm to 8:15pm and will consist of four different topped pizzas, including low gluten options, side salad and a balsamic drizzle and garlic pizza bread. Soft drinks will also be available to purchase throughout the evening from a stall run by South Devon UTC students.

Tickets cost £16 with the pizza buffet and £10 without. To book, visit http://southdevonutc.org/event/astronomyday/