News

Local Year 11 students explore astronomy at Durham University

(25 February 2004)

Year 11 students from Sedgefield Community College have been given the unique opportunity to check out state-of-the-art instrumentation for astronomy at the University of Durham Centre for Advanced Instrumentation.

The students got the chance to do some daytime observing using the roof-based telescopes in the Physics Department and found out about how the technology of adaptive optics is being used to improve astronomy and telecommunications.

The visit compliments studies being undertaken by the students and has given them an insight into astronomy and physics in general.

The Centre for Advanced Instrumentation (CfAI) has an international reputation for the design and construction of novel-based instruments for optical and infrared astronomy and works with observatories around the world to improve the quality of astronomical imaging and observation.

Patricia Higgins, Teacher of Science at Sedgefield Community College said, "We are delighted with the opportunity to visit the Centre today and learn about current astronomical and telecommunications projects. The students have gained a practical insight into the immense capabilities of adaptive optics technology and the work, which will be carried out at NetPark when the centre expands into the Institute building."

Later this year, the Centre will expand to occupy a new custom-designed laboratory space in the Research Institute at the NetPark science and technology complex in Sedgefield. This new facility will give the Centre the capabilities to assemble, integrate and test major new instruments as well as provide laboratory space for specific aspects of the research group's work. The research team, headed up by Professor Ray Sharples, has already built and commissioned more than ten new instruments for the UK's largest telescopes in the Canary Islands, Australia and Hawaii.

Professor Sharples said: "The NetPark Institute will provide unique facilities which will enable the astronomical instrumentation group to play a leading role in the design and construction of innovative new instrumentation for the next generation of ground and spaced-based telescopes. We look forward to exploiting and expanding our links with suppliers of emerging technologies and establishing a regional centre for advanced instrumentation."

The NetPark Research Institute will also feature the University's Centre in Digital Enterprise Technologies which harnesses latest developments in computer modelling, graphics and information management to give industry important new insights into product development, risk reduction and improved responsiveness to customers.

The University is committed to playing an integral role in knowledge-transfer in the region and close collaboration between science and industry. The expansion to the NetPark Institute underlines this commitment and will build on this by bringing learning, research and product development closer together.

The construction of the NetPark Institute is progressing well with completion scheduled for spring this year.

Media enquiries Dionne Hamil, Public Relations, University of Durham Tel 0191 334 6078