We have a greats selection of guest speakers at this year’s Astrofair
Tickets for each of these talks can be booked as add-ons to your entry ticket at https://normanlockyer.com/astrofair-2026-tickets-on-sale/, or they can be purchased on the day if available.
Mark Westmoquette 11:30h
Title: Stardust Embodied: Finding the Universe in your own anatomy
Abstract
We often think of astronomy as the study of things “out there”—distant, impersonal, and unimaginably far away. But every atom that makes up our bodies has a history as old as the cosmos itself. In this talk, astrophysicist and Zen teacher Mark Westmoquette takes us on a journey, mapping the 13.8-billion-year history of the universe directly onto our own anatomy, exploring the stellar origins of our bodies and sensations. This talk is an invitation to stop peering at the universe as a spectator and start experiencing yourself as the universe “universing” – a living, breathing expression of cosmic evolution.
Bio
In 2007, I completed a PhD in Astrophysics at UCL(University College London). I then worked as a post-doctoral research fellow for seven years at both at UCL and at ESO (European Southern Observatory) in Munich, Germany. I was interested in how the extreme energy given off by large numbers of newly formed stars affected the evolution of the galaxy they were forming in (see a list of my publications on Research Gate).
In 2013, I decided to leave professional research to focus on teaching yoga and mindfulness. I’ve been practising Zen under the guidance of Zen master Daizan Skinner Roshi since 2007. Since then, I’ve been teaching mindfulness and meditation in a variety of settings, including on 8-week courses and on various workshops and retreats.
In the summer of 2015, I became a Zen monk for a short training period. In 2016, I become a junior-level Zen teacher and in 2022 became a senior-level teacher, taking on the position of ‘Director of Training’ (Ino) the Zenways community.
Abby Moule 13:00h
Title: Between Earth and Stars
Abstract
This talk offers an inspiring introduction to the world of landscape astrophotography, exploring how we can chase the stars, capture light and reveal the hidden beauty of the night. Through a series of narrative-led, mesmerising images, Abby shares how celestial motion, atmosphere and landscape come together to create stories written in starlight.
We’ll touch on the essentials of planning — from timing and location to understanding celestial movement — along with a brief glimpse into the processing techniques that uncover depth, colour and detail often unseen to the naked eye.
At its heart, this session is an invitation: to pause, to look up, and to reconnect with the quiet wonder of the universe above us.
Bio
Abby Moule ARPS, known as Astro Abby, is a UK-based astrophotographer whose work explores the connection between land, light and the night sky. Her images combine technical precision with a strong narrative approach, capturing celestial motion, atmospheric phenomena and the enduring presence of the landscape beneath.
Abby’s work has received multiple awards and recognition, and she is passionate about making astrophotography accessible to others. Through workshops, talks and fine-art prints, she shares both the techniques and the experience of working under dark skies, encouraging audiences to engage more deeply with the night and its stories. Explore more at astroabbyphotography.co.uk.
Prof Tim Naylor 14:30h
Title: The Terra Hunting Experiment’s search for Earth-mass planets: how and why?
(Abstract & Bio TBA)
Prof. Mike Lockwood 16:15h
Title: Great Auroral Events
Abstract:
May 2024 gave us the most extensive aurora seen in modern times – but how does it compare with other such events seen in recorded history? Who reports aurora has changed at lot over the years, evolving from chroniclers of history, to clergymen and doctors, gentlemen scientists, lighthouse keepers, space scientists and recently to the public. The ways they are mainly reported has also changed from ancient manuscripts, to newspapers, air ministry documents, academic journals and, in recent years, social media. With the advent of digital cameras on mobile ‘phones many people now have the ready means to accurately record their observations. However light pollution and AI fakes are growing problems. The long-term change in Earth’s magnetic field has had a major effect on where aurora occurs. All this brings complexity to comparisons of the number and locations where aurora is observed – nevertheless, from careful analysis of the various factors, we estimate that the aurora seen on 10-11 May 2024 was the third most extensive seen in the past 400 years. The talk will also discuss the “space weather” effects that these events have on modern technological systems.
Bio:
Mike Lockwood is a space scientist. In a career of over 45 years he has studied the Sun and its effects on near-Earth space at the Universities of Exeter, Auckland New Zealand, Southampton and Reading, as well as at the Royal Aircraft Establishment Farnborough, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Centre and the Space Science Department of the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. In a science career that started with a PhD at the NLO when it was a field site of the University of Exeter, Mike has published 450 scientific papers on space physics and is a Fellow of the Royal Society as well the current President of the Royal Astronomical Society.