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The Sun: Living With Our Star

We were lucky enough to go the press launch of the Sun: living with our star exhibition at the science museum the other month and the exhibition was perfect. So much so that we were overwhelmed with what to say about it and how to convey it’s greatness. For kids, space nerds, those interested in science and exploration, this is the perfect exhibition, with things to watch, touch, explore and learn. Here are our 5 highlights and reasons you should go and see it.

1. The pictures of the sun

The close up surface of the sun footage –
One of our favourite parts of this exhibition was one of the final sections, and showed incredible close up footage of the sun’s surface on a huge screen with appropriately menacing and monolithic soundscapes. Showing flares, magnetic loops, and other amazing activity through a variety of different filters really showed the almost violent events constantly happening on our nearest star.

2. The interactivity

The solar warning game, amongst others! –
This exhibition is like the better modern Disney movie, it’s definitely one for the entire family, whilst having things aimed at kids and adults alike. It’s super hands on, and out favourite game was a Solar Warning game, using a touch screen to relay signals to earth about varying size of solar flares and to save the planet from having our power infrastructure knocked out and being sizzled by the sun.

3. The artefacts

Copernicus heavenly spheres book –
This incredible book was completed in 1532, and was one of the first works to state that the sun was the centre of our solar system as opposed to our planet. The only other opportunity you would get to see this ancient edition of this book would be from the Royal Astronomical Society Library, so I would highly recommend you go and have a look here!

4. The science

Huge illuminated screen showing the sun rising and setting around the world –
Showing in a bold, visual way the relationship different people on earth have with the sun purely based on where they live, was a large illuminated screen that allowed you to enter a location and watch the rise and set of the sun. It was such a brilliant way to give a feel of how different everything about life can be between the equator and poles.

5. The human element

History of the human races relationship with the sun through the ages –
With this exhibition the almost chronological duration of the exhibition. There are some incredible pieces dating back hundreds of years from different civilisations showing the fascination, relationship and dependence we have had with our life giving star since we were able to document it.

Things to remember: Allow at least an hour to get round – don’t do it in a rush; get hands on and experience everything; book in advance; its only on until May