Astronomy in the City

We invite you to attend our programme of free public events, Astronomy in the City. Join us for stargazing, observing with portable telescopes, talks from our experts about cutting edge astronomy research, and your chance to ask them anything about astronomy!

The event will feature live exhibits developed by our group, presentations on "Exploring the Sky this month" and the main science talk, followed by a live Q&A session open to the public. According to weather conditions, observing will proceed on campus thanks to the help of AstroSoc and the Knowle Astronomical Society.

Astronomy in the City events are strictly all ticket, and begin in the Poynting Building on our Edgbaston campus, within easy reach of local transport links.

2025/2026 Events
Wednesday 22 October 2025
Wednesday 19 November 2025
Spring 2026 (tbc)

Please join our mailing list to keep up to date.

Upcoming Events

Our next Astronomy in the City event is Wednesday October 22nd 2025, 17:30 –21:00. Booking essential!

Each Astronomy in the City event will feature a talk on a different astrophysical topic connected to the research done at the University of Birmingham.

October Event: we will be hearing from Dr Dimple, who will be talking about cosmic fireworks.

	October Programme
17:30	Refreshments and Astronomy Exhibits
18:00	Talks begin
	1st Talk. AstroSoc: Exploring the Night Sky in November
	2nd Talk. Dr Dimple: Cosmic Fireworks: How Colliding Stars Forge the Elements of Life
	Abstract: Some of the most spectacular fireworks in the cosmos happen when two of the densest objects in the universe — neutron stars, or sometimes a neutron star and a black hole — collide. These dramatic events produce a brief but intense flash of high-energy radiation called a gamma-ray burst, followed by a glowing kilonova that fades in days. Though fleeting, these explosions forge heavy elements like gold and platinum across the cosmos. Join me as we explore how astronomers chase these cosmic signals and uncover how the deaths of stars shape the very matter that makes up our world.
19:00	Panelist Q&A with our experts
19:30	Observing (Chancellor's Court, Poynting Physics roof) and Planetarium Talks
21:00	End

Astronomy in the City is aimed at secondary school age and above (Year 7+). Younger children are welcome to attend the talks/observing on campus.
All under-18s must be accompanied by an adult.

Observing on Campus

Depending upon the weather, all visitors are invited to join members of AstroSocBAS and Knowle to observe with their portable telescopes from Chancellor's Court in the heart of our Edgbaston campus from 7:30 pm. Please remember to wrap up warm for the cool evenings.

Where to Find Us

The talks and refreshments will be held in the Poynting Physics Building (R13 on the campus map), with telescopes in nearby Chancellor's Court. The University's website has directions to the Edgbaston campus and how to reach the Poynting Physics Building; the lecture theatre, refreshments and demonstrations are on the second floor.

Disabled access is readily available on campus .

Tickets

Admission is only available with a ticket, which can be booked for free from Ticket Tailor.

Letter from the Observatory Director

Hello and welcome to the October edition of Astronomy in the City 2025!

At the time of writing, we are still (impatiently) awaiting the eruption of T Coronae Borealis. This recurrent nova (or “Blaze Star”) was first discovered in 1866 but was seen to erupt again in 1946. Its 80-year eruption cycle means it’s due around 2026, but predictions of exactly when it will flare up again vary by a few years. The system consists of a white dwarf – the dead core of a star that was about the size of our Sun – that is cannibalising its stellar neighbour. Observations from our own Wast Hills Observatory taken over the summer show that the winds being blasted away from the white dwarf are getting faster, meaning it’s getting closer to explosion. When it does go off, it will brighten enough to see with the naked eye as a new star in the constellation Corona Borealis.

Another rare event generating excitement is the discovery of Comet 3I/ATLAS, which is only the third object from interstellar space to be discovered passing through our solar system. The comet was initially discovered in July but is currently too close to the Sun to observe with most telescopes. Astronomers are hoping to renew observations in early December. Around October the 30th, it will pass just inside the orbit of Mars, its closest point to the Sun, before it starts heading outwards again to continue its voyage through the stars. Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope have shown that the comet is less than about 5 kilometres in diameter and is rich in carbon dioxide and water. By the end of December, the comet should be observable for keen astronomers in the UK, with an expected magnitude of around 15 – 16.

I hope you enjoy our event, and hearing about our research and the observatory in Birmingham. If you have any questions or feedback, you can get in touch with us at ubo@star.sr.bham.ac.uk. We also have a brand new BlueSky account if you’d like to follow us on social media.

Clear skies!
Ben

Dr Ben Gompertz, Director of the University of Birmingham Observatory

Contact Us

For any enquiries regarding this event or our future observing plans, feel free to contact us through our email, facebook and BlueSky. And please join our mailing list for news of future events.

Astronomy in the City is brought to you in partnership with the University of Birmingham Astronomical Society, the Birmingham Astronomical Society, the Knowle Astronomical Society, Solihull School and Circles of Influence.

dome_night

m27

M51

M13