News

Bringing the Universe into the classroom

(18 December 2002)

School pupils in the North East have the chance to look through huge astronomical telescopes on the other side of the world - with the help of Durham University.

The Universities of Durham and Sheffield, together with selected schools in the Region, are developing a Public Outreach Programme in Particle Physics and Astronomy in the North of England ' From Fundamental Particles to Galaxies and the Universe'.

The programme targets 11-16 years old school children and their teachers and it focuses on exploring the origin of the Universe, the properties of fundamental particles and the nature of the dark matter.

The project is based upon the work of two research centres of excellence in the Ogden Centre for Fundamental Physics at Durham, which was opened by Prime Minister Tony Blair. It houses the Institutes for Particle Physics Phenomenology (IP3) and Computational Cosmology (ICC).Another location involved in the project is Boulby mine near Cleveland which hosts the UK Dark Matter project of which Sheffield University plays a mayor part.

Among the programmes' key activities is the establishment of the first Regional Faulkes Telescope Centre to provide training and access to the telescopes. The Faulkes Telescopes project will offer access to two large (2-metre) robotic telescopes, via the Web, for UK schools to carry out "real-time" astronomy during classroom hours. Also supporting materials are produced which are classroom-ready, in consultation with teachers, science educators and astronomers from around the UK.

The first instrument, Faulkes Telescope North, will be operational at Haleakala Observatory in Hawaii by early 2003. A second identical telescope will follow later that year at the Siding Springs Observatory in New South Wales, Australia. Both telescopes will be controlled via a website and will be accessible to use during normal school hours in the UK. The longitude of the observatories, half way around the world, means when it is school time in Britain, the telescopes are looking into the night sky.

Guided by regional centres which help schools in the best use of the telescopes, the pupils will be free to carry out their own research projects, or simply take beautiful colour images of objects in the night sky.

The University of Durham also offers schools pupils the chance to learn more about the work of the Ogden Centre and life as a student in the Physics Department.

Greenfield Schools' Key stage four students from Newton Aycliffe took this opportunity and were the first school pupils who spent an afternoon in the Ogden Centre. Other schools already joining the project include Durham Johnston School and primary schools in East Cleveland. As well as visiting the University, pupils also have the chance to see UK Dark Matter Facility at Boulby Mine and make a trip to a local planetarium.