Ten Ways the Universe Tries to Kill You

Wednesday 22^nd June 7.30pm
The Green House Hotel,  4 Grove Road, Bournemouth BH1 3AX

With Astronomer Steve Tonkin

As we go about our daily lives, it is easy to forget we are passengers on a small planet travelling at nearly 70,000 miles per hour around a solar system that orbits the Milky Way at equally breathtaking speeds. We often hear from apologists that our universe is ‘fine tuned for life’, but the reality is that most of our unbelievably vast universe is extremely hostile, with terrifying phenomena that could wipe out humanity in the blink of an eye if they ever come close enough. From gamma-ray bursts to asteroid impacts, and from supernovae to galactic collisions, it seems certain that the universe is out to get us! Steve Tonkin’s light-hearted but scientifically robust review of potentially cataclysmic events will help us understand many fundamental cosmological processes and their potential effects on us.

Steve is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and has taught astronomy to adults and children for over 30 years.

He has written books and articles on practical astronomy, and has a monthly column in the BBC’s Sky at Night magazine. He is also a STEM (Science, technology, engineering and maths) ambassador with a special brief for astronomy.

“Join us for an entertaining review of the cosmic catastrophes that could threaten our existence here on earth”

Free entry (donations appreciated).     Everyone welcome!

(The Green House Hotel can also be accessed via its rear entrance in Gervis Road. The hotel has a small onsite car park, and roadside parking is also available in Gervis Road).

Please indicate your interest in attending this event on Meetup.com and/or facebook as it helps raise our group’s profile on these sites (Meetup also offers you timely email reminders and an easy way to discover other interesting groups in your area). To help you find them, here are the direct links to our event listings on these sites:

http://www.meetup.com/Dorset-Humanists/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/dorsethumanists/events/

You can also help us promote Dorset Humanists and this event by displaying an A4 poster. Download an A4 printable copy here, or email Dave at DHcensus(at)hotmail.co.uk for a PDF.

Click here to view details of other forthcoming and recent events on this website.

Life on Mars: Then and Now

Wednesday 23^rd July 7.30pm
The Green House Hotel,  4 Grove Road, Bournemouth BH1 3AX

With astronomer James Fradgley FRAS

Serious searches for evidence of life on Mars began in the 19th century and for many years it was believed there were canals on the planet’s surface. Astronomer Percival Lowell, even suggested they were built by an intelligent civilisation, but famed British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace severely criticised his claims and concluded that complex life on the planet was impossible. However, the search for life on Mars is far from over and continues today via astronomical observation and exploratory space missions.

In this well-illustrated presentation, distinguished astronomer James Fradgley will recount the fascinating history of the search for life on our planetary neighbour, and explain our current knowledge of, and future plans to increase our understanding of this most intriguing red planet.

Join us for a fascinating tale of curiosity, imagination and scientific ingenuity.

Free entry (donations appreciated).     Everyone welcome!

(The Green House Hotel can also be accessed via its rear entrance in Gervis Road. The hotel has a small onsite car park, and roadside parking is also available in Gervis Road).

Please help us promote Dorset Humanists and this event by displaying an A4 poster. Download an A4 printable copy here, or email Dave at DHcensus(at)hotmail.co.uk for a PDF.

Click here to view details of other forthcoming and recent events on this website.

Images of the Unimaginable

The Hubble Space Telescope Gallery by Bob Mizon MBE FRAS

Wednesday 26^th June 7.30pm
The Green House Hotel,  4 Grove Road, Bournemouth BH1 3AX

Since 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope has been revealing aspects of the near and far universe in awe-inspiring detail. In "Images of the Unimaginable", astronomer Bob Mizon takes us on a tour of the cosmos as seen through the eye of this revolutionary instrument, and examines the nature of the great range of objects - galaxies, nebulae, comets - which it has explored.

Bob is the coordinator of the British Astronomical Association’s Campaign for Dark Skies, and writes for the astronomical press.

Join us for a fascinating guided tour of the universe.

Free entry (donations appreciated).     Everyone welcome!

(The Green House Hotel can also be accessed from Gervis Road, which is better lit and has roadside parking).

Please help us promote Dorset Humanists and this event by displaying an A4 poster. Download an A4 printable copy here, or email Dave at DHcensus(at)hotmail.co.uk for a PDF.

Click here to view details of other forthcoming and recent events on this website.

'A Tour Through The Universe in Space and Time' followed by Star Gazing

Thursday, 20th October 7.00pm* - 9.30pm
Bournemouth University Executive Business Centre (EBC), 89 Holdenhurst Road, Bournemouth, BH8 8EB
Bournemouth Student Humanist and Atheists Society (BSHAS) have kindly invited Dorset Humanists’ members and supporters to attend their next meeting.
BSHAS have booked Chairman of the Wessex Astronomical Society, Bob Mizon MBE to give a talk entitled, 'A Tour Through The Universe In Space And Time'. Weather permitting, this will be followed by 'a night site tour' where we will walk down to the cliff top, and Bob will point out some interesting features of the night sky.
In his presentation, Bob will take us on a journey from Planet Earth, via the Moon and the Solar System, out to the furthest reaches of space, pausing to investigate some of the marvels of its content and history - and explaining how stars are so relevant to our lives and existence.
BU Business Centre reception will be able to tell you which lecture theatre to go to. The listed end time is approximate and you are welcome to attend Bob's presentation (circa 60 minutes) whether or not you wish to go 'star gazing' afterwards.
Since 1996, Bob has provided a full-time mobile planetarium service to south central England, and has taken the experience of the night sky to nearly 80,000 people, mostly schoolchildren. He is also coordinator of the Campaign for Dark Skies and is the author of 'Light Pollution: Responses and Remedies' which is part of Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series. He is also the author of the annual offering: 'Stargazers' Almanac: A Monthly Guide to the Stars and Planets [Calendar]'. He was awarded an MBE in 2010 for services to astronomy.

Everyone welcome!

Free entry

*Please note this event was originally listed with an earlier starting time but we’ve since heard that it’s been changed to a 7.00pm start. Hopefully, this will make it easier for more people to attend.

Click here to view more forthcoming and recent events.

Saturday 20 Feb - Darwin Day with Stephen Welch

Darwin Day celebration lunch at 12.30pm followed by Space, Evolution and our Origins by Stephen Welch, author of “Stardust: Our Cosmic Origins” at 2pm.


Stephen is the author of “Stardust: Our Cosmic Origins”. Have you ever wondered where we came from? Or what the reality is of the world beyond our perception? In his fascinating book of scientific exploration, Stephen aims to provide answers to these questions and more in his overview of the most recent scientific thinking. Subjects such as mythology, space, physics, extraterrestrials, culture, evolution, and what the future holds are all here to stimulate your imagination in a world that is far more amazing and awe inspiring than any fiction.