About this Event
Join celebrated composer Eric Whitacre for celestial journey exploring the outer reaches of our Solar System, with a screening of Deep Field: The Impossible Magnitude of our Universe, inspired by the iconic images captured by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. Through film, short talks and a panel discussion with leading astrophysicists, psychologists and engineers from Thales Alenia Space, discover how we experience space and develop technologies to unlock the Universe’s deepest mysteries. You’ll hear about NASA’s missions looking for signs of life and local companies at the forefront of robotic lunar and Martian exploration, developing the first human outpost on the moon.
From the psychological challenges of space travel and eating in orbit, to the role of music and multisensory design, Prof Charles Spence explains how our senses shape our perception of unfamiliar environments — and what it might take to feel at home in space. Dr Kya Sorli takes us to icy moons, asteroids and comets, searching our Solar System for conditions that could support life beyond earth. Venture to the furthest reaches of the Universe with Dr Héloïse Stevance, where AI is helping astronomers sift millions of signals to uncover exploding stars, black holes and new cosmic mysteries. Expect music, film, big questions and extraordinary science.
Ticketing: Pay What You Decide (PWYD)
Event format: FILM, MUSIC & PANEL DISCUSSION
Event duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Age: All ages
Event start: 5.15pm
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Eric Whitacre, Prof Charles Spence (Somerville College), Dr Kya Sorli, Dr Heloise Stevance, Lucia Rodriguez Roces (Thales Alenia Space), Somerville College.
https://ericwhitacre.com/https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/find-an-expert/professor-charles-spencehttps://www.gtc.ox.ac.uk/about/fellows/heloise-stevance/www.thalesaleniaspace.com
Somerville College gratefully acknowledges the support of Helen Morton, who has generously supported Eric Whitacre’s position as Musician in Residence at Somerville College, 2026-2027.
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IF Oxford uses Pay What You Decide (PWYD) ticketing, which means you can choose to pay whatever you want — or can afford. You can make your donation during booking, at the event, or afterwards. Please note that there is a free ticket option for this event.
To make a PWYD booking, book 1 PWYD ticket for the group, then add extra FREE tickets for the rest of your party. This means there is only one donation for the whole group — you choose what to pay within the PWYD booking. This process is needed because Eventbrite treats a single PWYD ticket as the donation for the whole group — the PWYD ticket covers the donation (one ticket), and FREE tickets cover the rest of your party.
We suggest a donation of £7.50 per person. If even half of IF Oxford's visitors gave that, the charity could plan next year's community science and ideas Festival with confidence. If you decide another amount works better for you, please give that instead — every contribution helps keep the Festival free at the point of entry for everyone who needs it to be — the most important thing is that we can all enjoy a good Festival together, thank you.
All ticket options offer the same access. The contribution associated with this ticket is considered a donation in support of the Festival. Please choose the amount that feels right for you.
Please arrive at least ten minutes before the start. Unclaimed places are released at the start to people waiting at the door, and entry may be refused once the event has begun.
If you do not have a ticket, it is worth coming along — booked-up events often have space on the day.
Ages are a guide only, under-16s to be accompanied by a responsible adult.
The Festival reserves the right to modify event formats and manage the audience in accordance with the Festival's Attendance Policy:
if-oxford.com/attendance-policy
IF Oxford is run by The Oxfordshire Science Festival (charity #1151361). Any voluntary donation you make may be eligible for Gift Aid, where a charity can claim back an extra 25% of your donation at no cost to you:
if-oxford.com/donate
Event venue & nearby stays
Somerville College, Woodstock Road, Oxford, United Kingdom
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