Lake District's first observatory and planetarium opens to public
A new planetarium and observatory has opened in a national park to offer people the chance to explore the universe.Grizedale Observatory is the first planetarium to open in the Lake District National Park and has been built in the hope of making Cumbria a destination for stargazers.It follows on the success of similar observatories in Kielder in Northumberland, the Yorkshire Dales and the North Yorkshire Moors.Director Gary Fildes has worked in astronomy outreach centres for years and said it was exciting to be involved in opening the Lake District's first observatory.
"I was a founder of Kielder Observatory and worked there for many years, and the Grassholme Observatory in Teesdale," he said."It is really exciting to be opening this beautiful venture here in Grizedale in the heart of the Lake District."Mr Fildes said the observatory's equipment was powerful enough to take a picture of the Andromeda galaxy, which is our closest neighbouring galaxy.
The facility has been opened in partnership with Forestry England and its planetarium can cater for up to 20 people at a time.Those wishing to stargaze at the site are able to use its fleet of 8in (20cm) Dobsonian telescopes and its two 16in (40cm) large aperture telescopes.It also has a fully robotic telescope housed in a custom-built dome. The larger telescope is connected to TV screens which can be used to display the images.
Grizedale Observatory's Ben Marshall said the facility also contained an indoor education site, which includes its meteorite room."We've spent a bit of money and collected a load of meteorites that have fallen to Earth," he said.
One of the collection's prize pieces is its lunar meteorite - which is an actual piece of the moon.It was created when something hit the moon hard enough to eject part of it, said Mr Marshall."It's then flown across space, got into our gravity and landed on Earth."
Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
Is it true that … taking collagen supplements slows signs of ageing?
Collagen is one of the body's building blocks. Made up of amino acids absorbed from the protein we eat, there are more than 20 subtypes found everywhere – from our bones and muscles to organs. Types I, II, and III are the most common in skin, cartilage and connective tissue, helping with strength and elasticity. In recent years collagen has become known as the protein that keeps the skin on our face young-looking, with collagen powders and pills promising to slow signs of ageing – but is there any truth in those claims? Dr Afshin Mosahebi, a professor in plastic surgery at University College London, says the science is 'dubious', with a lack of large-scale, peer-reviewed studies. 'There's no direct evidence that collagen, taken on its own, can do anything more than eating enough protein,' says Mosahebi. He says it's true that, as we age, changes in collagen level makes the skin on our face start to look 'crinkly' and less firm, but that it's wrong to assume that simply supplementing collagen is the solution. 'When you eat something it doesn't go directly to your skin. Of course, parts of it are eventually absorbed and used in skin repair, but it's not going to go straight from your mouth to your face and wrinkles.' He adds that using skincare containing collagen won't make a long-term difference to ageing either, as 'it doesn't penetrate the skin itself'. Instead, he says that the way we age is down to genetics (like having fair skin that's sensitive to the sun) and our lifestyles. His tips for slowing that process down include making sure to eat a balanced diet that includes proteins, keeping away from the sun, avoiding smoking, staying hydrated and keeping your skin moisturised with products like hyaluronic acid.
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
University unveils plans for £35m brewing and distilling ‘centre for excellence'
A Scottish university is aiming to raise £35 million for a 'world-renowned' Centre for Sustainable Brewing and Distilling to help the alcohol industry deal with the climate crisis. Heriot-Watt University, based in Edinburgh, already has an International Centre for Brewing and Distilling (ICBD), which since 1989 has been considered the world's leading educational establishment for courses in brewing and distilling. However its history of teaching brewing dates back more than a century, to 1903. Many of the best-known Scotch whisky master distillers and brewers – including BrewDog co-founder Martin Dickie, master distiller at Arbikie Highland Estate Kirsty Black, and David Wilkinson, head distiller at Edinburgh Gin – studied at the ICBD. The new centre is intended to function as a living laboratory, constructed with low-carbon materials with the aim to access all of its power through clean energy. The Centre for Sustainable Brewing and Distilling (CSBD) will embrace the latest green technologies and sustainable practices so Heriot-Watt can evolve its teaching and research to meet the challenges of the future. It is hoped to include plug-and-play brewing and distilling testbeds, enabling companies to trial production methods before full-scale adoption, as well as advanced sustainability research labs to develop low-carbon distillation techniques. The CSBD will offer specialist training programmes, including graduate apprenticeships, executive education, and research-led industry collaborations. Professor Gillian Murray, Heriot-Watt's deputy principal for business and enterprise, said: 'Heriot-Watt's association with teaching brewing and distilling dates back to 1903. 'However, it was over 35 years ago that our unique brewing and distilling teaching and research facility – recognised by the Institute of Brewing and Distilling – was established. 'Ever since it has been home to vibrant research and unique innovation that has revolutionised both industries. Our teaching provides the perfect breeding ground for ground-breaking new ideas from the brightest and best students – from use of raw materials and fermentation to chemical engineering, bottling, packaging and marketing. 'But we have big aspirations for the future. That is why we are unveiling a revamped and revitalised approach to academic research into brewing and distilling through a new world-renowned centre for excellence, the Centre for Sustainable Brewing and Distilling. 'We want to encourage people from around the world to help us fund this multimillion-pound vision that sets the next generation of brilliant minds the challenge of finding ever more economically-viable and environmentally-sustainable ways of driving both industries forward into the 22nd century.' Ewan Andrew, president of global supply chain at drinks company Diageo, said: 'We back Heriot-Watt's plans for a Centre for Sustainable Brewing and Distilling. The CSBD will provide a new, modern environment for innovation, support the development of groundbreaking sustainable processes, and develop a new highly-skilled workforce that helps future-proof this vitally important economic contributor for decades to come.' Jo Marshall, brand director at Carlsberg Britvic, which owns McEwan's Export, said: 'Over a century ago, McEwan's founder William McEwan collaborated with the university's very first professor of brewing, Emil Westergaard, to drive forward brewing innovation. 'It's inspiring to see that same pioneering spirit lives on today in plans for a new centre dedicated to sustainable talent development and innovation.'
BBC News
12 hours ago
- BBC News
Capivasertib given to breast cancer patients in Wales for first time
A drug which has been proven to extend the life of some people with incurable breast cancer has been given to patients on the NHS in Wales for the first Buchan, 62, who has terminal breast cancer, said capivasertib would allow her to see her son's wedding and gave her "hope".Half of women with breast cancer fuelled by the hormone oestrogen are likely to see their life expectancy double when capivasertib is combined with hormone therapy, research has Rob Jones, who co-led a study looking at capivasertib's effectiveness, said the drug offered "a real life impact for people to spend extra time with their relatives, with their friends". Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK, with one in seven women affected in their lifetimes and 75% surviving for 10 years or more after Wales, more than 2,000 people are diagnosed with breast cancer every which was developed by experts at Velindre Cancer Centre and Cardiff University, became available to breast cancer patients on the NHS in April. When Ms Buchan's first line of treatment for her terminal breast cancer stopped working, it was a the recent approval of capivasertib for use on the NHS alongside hormone therapy will allow her to enjoy more time with family and has a common genetic abnormality in her cancer which tests have shown responds well to the drug."To be told I had secondary breast cancer but my life can be extended, I think it's that hope you have to keep in your mind," said Ms Buchan from Barry, Vale of Glamorgan."I know that prior to the first line of treatment going down it was expected I'd live five or six years, maybe more. "The way I cope with this is by thinking about today and today is a good day."Ms Buchan is among thousands in the UK and millions worldwide who could benefit from the drug."I think I'm really lucky because I've got the most supportive husband, children and their partners and extended family and wonderful friends. "What this drug can do for me is allow me to see my son's wedding next year and to look into the future." Despite its approval for use globally by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2023, capivasertib only became available to patients via the NHS in England and Wales this Simon Waters, consultant medical oncologist at Velindre Cancer Centre, said it was a "great opportunity now we've got to this point". "People have been working on it for a long time. It's great we can now put it in to practice as a standard treatment," he said. "We've been using a similar treatment for a smaller group of patients for a few years and that's had quite a lot of issues with side effects and we think this treatment will not only be more effective but also will have fewer issues with side effects. "It's also applicable to a larger group of patients with this common type of breast cancer." How does capivasertib work? The drug is suitable for those with certain gene mutations that affect up to half of people with hormone receptor positive secondary breast cancer - the most common type, which grows in the presence of hormone therapy usually works, eventually the cancer can become resistant to it.A clinical trial found a particular protein which drives the resistance can be neutralised when hormone therapy is combined with capivasertib. 'Doubling of survival time' Prof Rob Jones said: "Patients who received the hormone therapy with a placebo had an overall survival of around 20 months and those who received the capivasertib with the hormone therapy had an extra 39 months."It really is a doubling of survival time so that really is significant. It's not just a statistic - it's a real life impact for people to spend extra time with their relatives, with their friends."Dr Nicola Williams, national director of support and delivery at Health and Care Research Wales, said: "A breast cancer diagnosis can be devastating and one in seven women will be diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime. "This diagnosis is even more painful if you're told your cancer is incurable. "Thanks to the trial and the licensing of capivasertib, when used alongside a standard hormonal therapy, patients like Gwen now have the potential to receive a very significant extension in their lifespan and improved quality of life."
