S2 Ep 06 Beam Me Up...or Just Let Me Look: Space Beyond the Screen

About this episode

Sarah Dowd explores the connection between our fascination with the cosmos and its cultural representations, featuring insights from Kielder Observatory's leaders.

Sarah Dowd heads to Kielder Observatory to meet Chief Executive Leigh Venus and Director of Astronomy and Communications Dan Pye, exploring how our obsession with the cosmos travels from Caroline Herschel's groundbreaking work to Star Trek marathons and why that journey matters. Expect childhood wonder, Space Precinct nostalgia, a cameo in 28 Years Later , light pollution villains (including one notorious petrol station), and celebrating sixty years of Star Trek . Plus: why dark skies aren't just for scientists, they're for everyone . Here are the highlights: 00:00 From starships to stargazers: framing the big cosmic questions 01:19 Leigh Venus on childhood astronomy and finding “home” at Kielder 05:10 Dan Pye’s unlikely journey: Hubble models and a sci-fi themed café 15:27 Why crossing the threshold of a science venue can transform a life 16:58 Kielder is not a research observatory, but an arts and astronomy hub 19:04 TV fame, and the boom-and-bust cycle of astro-tourism 20:13 When COVID hit: podcasting, virtual stargazing, the Lottery lifeline 22:21 Why people travel (and rebook) just for the Kielder night sky 22:40 Celebrating sixty years of Star Trek 25:42 Kielder’s…

People in this episode

Host: Sarah Dowd

Guests: Leigh Venus, Dan Pye

Topics covered

• astronomy
• space exploration
• Star Trek
• light pollution
• Kielder Observatory
• childhood wonder

Keywords

• Kielder Observatory
• Star Trek
• light pollution
• Caroline Herschel
• astronomy
• space
• childhood wonder

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Kielder Observatory

Books & works: Star Trek, 28 Years Later

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