I have a number of speaking engagements coming up that I'm particularly excited about. I very much hope to see some of you at them:

Bath Literature Festival
Stuart Clark and Astronomy
Monday 05 Mar, 8:00pm - 9:00pm

They have advertised:
Stuart Clark, the well-known astronomer and newly appointed astronomy consultant for New Scientist launches his new novel about Newton and Halley, The Sensorium of God. He talks beautifully about the skies, the seventeenth century, and possible future discoveries in 'the heavens'.

Book tickets here


Cambridge Science Festival
What can we learn from the early astronomers?
Thursday 15 March 6:00pm - 7:00pm

They invite you to:
Join Dr Stuart Clark to explore how from Kepler to Newton to Einstein, the greatest breakthroughs in our understanding of the Universe came by studying motion in the Universe. Once again, astronomers are seeing movements in the Universe they cannot explain. Is the next big breakthrough imminent?

Book tickets here.


Edinburgh Science Festival
The Sky's Dark Labyrinth
Tuesday 3rd April 8:00pm - 9:30pm

They tantalise with:
It's the mid-17th century. No one understands why the planets move as Johannes Kepler so elegantly described almost a century earlier. Edmond Halley, adventurer, astronomer and ladies' man, asks reclusive alchemist and fearsome mathematician Isaac Newton for help with solving the problem. From this simple act, the lives of both men are plunged into crisis. Join author Stuart Clark as he weaves a fictionalised tale of the time when science was rife with sex, lies and spies!

Book tickets here.

I have a new story published by ESA:

"ESA's Planck mission has revealed that our Galaxy contains previously undiscovered islands of cold gas and a mysterious haze of microwaves. These results give scientists new treasure to mine and take them closer to revealing the blueprint of cosmic structure. ..."

Click the Read more link below the tags if you cannot see the full story already.

I met up with Neil Denny of Little Atoms to record an interview. As always it was a highly pleasant experience. You can listen to the result here.  You can hear my previous appearances on the show here.

Also congratulations to Neil, who has just been awarded a Winston Churchill Fellowship to spend a month travelling the US to interview more scientists for the show. I look forward to hearing them.

I have a new story published by ESA:

"ESA's Mars Express has returned strong evidence for an ocean once covering part of Mars. Using radar, it has detected sediments reminiscent of an ocean floor within the boundaries of previously identified, ancient shorelines on Mars. ..."

Click the Read more link below the tags if you cannot see the full story already.

It will give me great pleasure to  talk at Astrofest this coming Friday, 10th Feb, at 10:35am.  The organisers of the conference have asked me to explain about the Sun's role in climate change on the Earth and other planets.

"It is one of the most contentious subjects in science: what is the Sun's role in climate change on Earth? Thanks to the sudden drop in sunspot numbers since 2008, we now have a way of investigating this vexing question - and solutions are being glimpsed. Also, if we look to the other planets of the Solar System, are we seeing the first hints of climate change on other worlds?"

I will also be signing copies of The Sun Kings, and The Sky's Dark Labyrinth. There will also be advance copies of The Sensorium of God, the 2nd volume in The Sky's Dark Labyrinth trilogy available on the day. My book signings will take place at the Astronomy Now stand at 11:10am on Friday, and again at the same time, same place on Saturday 11th.  See you there!

The best news is that by ordering in advance from Astrofest, you can save 30% on the price of the books. Details of this great offer here.