Your stories

As an astronomer, what would you say is the purpose of your job – why do we need to know about the stars and planets?

By looking at the stars, constellations and deep space objects, we begin to appreciate just where we are in this universe of ours. And the universe is created and made of matter, but in human beings the matter has sort of come together to form intelligence. So in a sense, it’s the universe getting to know itself. We’re beginning to be aware of who we are, where we are and what we are.

But there’s more to it than that even… We’re living on a planet which will not be around forever – our earth will one day be engulfed by the sun. Our intelligence is growing and I think one day we’ll be able to go out and establish ourselves on planets around other stars within our own galaxy. So it’s important to get to know where these stars are.

Do you think there will be little green people there to greet us when we get there?

I think the universe is probably teeming with life. Already we’re beginning to speculate on the possibility of a form of life on one of the moons of Jupiter, the moon Europa, which has a covering of ice. Beneath that ice we believe there’s an ocean of warm water with volcanic vents at the bottom.

A star in his own right

We’re sending a probe there in 2014, which will go through that ice, and by the looks of Europa, it could well be that that ocean is teeming with organic life. Now if it is, that would be proof to show that life has materialised irrespective of the earth, elsewhere in our solar system. That being the case, then it’s quite possible that life teems all over these planets.

What was it that attracted you to astronomy? Was it the prospect of other people or places where we might live in the future, or was it a moment of looking up at the stars and wondering ‘what else is there up there’?

It was the moon. Apparently, aged two I saw a face looking back at me through the trees. I covered my eyes but kept peeping at the strange face. Then, as I grew older, I made myself a telescope consisting of two poor quality telescopes held together with string and garden cane. To me it looked magnificent.

Through that I was able to see Saturn and its rings, and I was just absolutely fascinated by it. And of course, at that time there were a few sci-fi films out, and loads of books about the possibility of what’s up there in space, and I became hooked on it and have been ever since. 

As you learn more about the science of what’s out there, does it detract from the romantic nature of looking up at the sky?

No! When I’m out there in the night sky, I quote poetry, especially when we’ve got members of the public around and we’re looking at the star patterns. I wax lyrical! Looking at the sky makes you more and more poetic as you get older I think. But it does put one in ones place; who am I when I’m faced with the glory of the heavens?

Partial solar eclipse, 29/3/06

One famous astronomer, when he used to go out to look at the sky, felt he ought to get dressed in his best clothes because he felt it was an affront to the creator to observe the vault of the heavens in shabby clothes!

How does being an astronomer affect your understanding of God and the creation of the earth? Surely it makes you doubt some of the beliefs held by lots of people.

On the contrary! Most of the theories today assume that 15,000,000,000 years ago there was a ‘big bang’ – a great fireball which spread outwards. Now, what there was before that, we do not know. Is there some force, some power behind it? I believe there is. If you want to call that God, call it God. In which case, God exists.

Do you have a favourite part of the sky – is there a star formation that means the most to you?

Probably the most beautiful area of the sky is a cluster of stars 417 light years away (one light year is approximately 6,000,000,000,000 miles). It’s what’s known as a galactic cluster and it’s probably the most well known cluster of all. Its common name is the Seven Sisters - a beautiful, twinkling cluster of hot young stars.

Partial solar eclipse over Scarborough

When you go on holiday do you look at the stars there too, or do you try and leave your work behind?

One cannot get away from the sky – if the sky is clear one looks at it and admires its beauty. I ran the Los Angeles marathon a couple of years ago, and going down to San Diego, I was able to look at some of the constellations in their entirety – Scorpio and Sagittarius, which we can only see half of – and it’s beautiful!

What do think of horoscopes?

Well astronomy and astrology started at the same time, thousands of years ago, and they’ve subsequently departed from one another. But what you’ve got to remember is that they are different. Astronomy is scientific study, figuring out what those tiny points of light are up there in the sky. Whereas astrology is a belief system - a belief that holds that the stars and the positions of the planets seen against them, can affect peoples’ lives and events on the earth beneath.

Personally, I don’t think there’s anything in horoscopes. People like to be mystified, and like to think that something good’s going to happen, and whether it does or not, they’ll read their horoscopes. I don’t think people fall into one of twelve particular groups, and that the same things are going to happen to a whole twelfth of the population!

S&R Astronomical Society display

What would you say to someone contemplating getting into astronomy?

Do! Do look at the night sky, because we’re beginning to see less and less of it as light pollution increases. Do go to the darkest spot in your yard and have a look at the sky. And if you want to know more about it, get in touch with your local astronomical society, and they’ll assist you greatly in starting what will become a lifelong adventure with the stars.