| Imagine
steering a giant telescope that is thousands of miles
away to see the ice-caps of Mars, a spectacular galaxy
deep in the Universe, or tracking dramatic gas clouds
and impressive galaxies, guided by some of the UK’s
foremost astronomers. A special live Open University programme
for BBC Two, All Night Star Party, will hand
over some of Britain’s largest telescopes to viewers
so they can see for themselves the full splendour and
violence to be found in the Universe – live and
as it happens.
The timing of the programme is ideal:
• Mars is closer to Earth than at any time in
the last 60,000 years;
• Britain’s Beagle
2 Mars lander, brainchild of Prof. Colin Pillinger
from the Open University, is on its way to search for
signs of life on the Red Planet.
The Jodrell Bank Radio Observatory in Cheshire is the
venue for this space extravaganza, which will be staged
to coincide with National Astronomy Week. It’s
home to the newly refurbished 76 metre Lovell Radio
Telescope, which can detect a mobile phone 220 million
miles away. Meanwhile, 3000 metres up on the edge of
a volcanic mountain on La Palma in the Canary Islands,
astronomy presenter Dr. Chris Riley will hand over the
giant Isaac Newton Telescope to viewers to take a closer
look at galaxies and planets.
In a parallel observing event, viewers using the internet
will be able to target other research telescopes around
the world, right here on Open2.
|
