The mysteries of dark matter, dark energy and distant galaxies will be explored when one of Britain’s leading astrophysicists visits the Isle of Wight later this month.
Professor Adam Amara, Chief Scientist at the UK Space Agency, will return to the Island on Friday 23rd October to deliver a talk for the Vectis Astronomical Society (VAS).
The event, entitled ‘The Latest from Euclid: The Dark Universe Explorer’, will take place at Newchurch Pavilion, Watery Lane, from 19:30, with the opportunity to join remotely via Zoom.
Professor Amara will reveal the latest developments from the European Space Agency’s Euclid mission, which is seeking answers to some of the biggest unanswered questions about the Universe.
Launched in July 2023, the Euclid Space Telescope operates around 1.5million kilometres from Earth, observing billions of galaxies to build an extraordinary 3D map of the cosmos.
By looking back across 10billion light-years and surveying more than a third of the sky, the mission aims to uncover how the Universe has expanded over time and how galaxies and other cosmic structures have formed.
Central to the research are dark matter and dark energy – mysterious components thought to make up around 95% of the Universe, yet whose true nature remains largely unknown.
Professor Amara, who is also Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Surrey, has played a significant role in the development of the Euclid mission and specialises in cosmology, the evolution of the Universe and exoplanet research.
He has previously visited VAS on 2 occasions, speaking about his involvement in Euclid and his vision for the future of Britain’s space industry.
His latest visit will give Island astronomy enthusiasts the chance to hear first-hand about the progress of one of the most ambitious space missions of modern times.
The talk is open to both members and non-members, with tickets for non-members available through Eventbrite. Those unable to attend in person can also watch via Zoom.
