Exploring space from the comfort of Mullingar Arts Centre

The magic and mystery of space was all squished into Mullingar Arts Centre last week as young people from across the midlands engaged in an event that fired the imagination.

'Look Up for Science' in Mullingar was part of the Midlands Science Festival, supported by Research Ireland, a series of shows examining space exploration.

Hosted by Midlands Science, the event was presented by Simon Watt, the scientist well known for his work with BAFTA award winning shows on Channel 4.

Over 600 young people attended the shows focusing on some of the science behind space exploration. Which planet is hottest? Which would float in a swimming pool? Which is the most studied? And just how much space is in space?

Participants also learnt what experiments you can recreate at home or school and learn about what you can see if you only look up.

This outreach isn’t just about feeding the childhood dreams of being an astronaut, it’s a vital piece of outreach for Ireland’s space industry. Since the beginning of the last decade, Irish companies’ involvement in the space sector has risen by more than 300%.

A report from KPMG has forecast the growing commercial space sector to expand from €348 billion in 2020 to €1 trillion by 2040, driven by factors including increased private investment and falling spaceflight costs.

Pauline Nally of Midlands Science commented: “It’s fantastic to see the enthusiasm and curiosity young children have for space and associated sciences. They are looking up and to the future and we can’t wait to see where outreach about space exploration might take us next.”

Midlands Science provides a wide range of science outreach opportunities all year around and more information can be found on www.midlandsscience.ie