Kildare kids meet NASA astronaut
Left to right: Astronaut Steve Swanson, Rian Moneley (5) from Maynooth and Conor Corbett (6) from Straffan.
Maynooth University celebrated Space Week 2024 with an exciting event that brought the wonders of the universe to life, and allowed the local youth to dream of the possibility in the company of a real astronaut.
The free public talk titled 'From New Worlds to the Infinite Universe' featured spectacular images and insightful presentations on the latest advancements in space exploration.
A highlight of the evening hosted was a talk by NASA astronaut Steven Swanson, who shared his experiences from over 195 days in space, including five spacewalks, and provided his perspective on the future of space missions.
Younger members of the audience had the unique opportunity to meet Swanson, and to hear from renowned Maynooth University experts in astrophysics, including Dr Colm Bracken, who explored the search for alien life and planets, and Prof Peter Coles, who presented early findings from the European Space Agency's Euclid mission.
Hosted by the Department of Physics, the event also featured PhD scholar Aoibhinn Gallagher who discussed mysterious dark matter which dominates the gravity of our Universe, and PhD scholar Matthew Birney who spoke on a range of topics from the discovery of exoplanets and the mechanics of planet formation.
