Cosmic Quest: from Babylon to the Big Bang

An illustrated presentation by Heather Couper and Nigel Henbest

Our glorious night sky is the ultimate landscape. But where do we fit in?

For thousands of years humankind has sought to find our place in the Cosmos. Starting with superstition, astronomy has flourished into the most all-embracing of the sciences.

Its progress has been lead by inspirational characters – and outright mavericks! - who have pushed our knowledge of the heavens forward, forever testing the limits of our imagination in the quest to understand the Universe.

This presentation concentrates on the people and personalities who have asked questions about the Cosmos over the millennia.

With each question answered, dozens appear as if from nowhere: black holes, dark matter, planets around other stars, and the ultimate future of our Universe.

And is there life out there?