2025/2026 Talks
Our talks are usually held in person in the Trevithick Theatre at Cardiff University.
Booking is not required, however, if you are new to the Society please let us know when you arrive so we can give you a warm welcome. We kindly ask current members to bring their membership cards or membership number.
There is no requirement to wear a mask whilst on the premises; however, you are welcome to wear one should you wish.
Our talks usually start at 7.30 p.m. and are hosted by the School of Physics and Astronomy at:
Cardiff University
Queen's Buildings
The Parade
Cardiff
CF24 3AA
All attendees are kindly invited to sign the visitors' book upon arrival!
Next Talk:
22nd January 2026 "Space-Enabled Wales: Connecting Earth and Orbit" - Dr Rosie Cane, Space Wales
Speaker Biography
Dr Rosie Cane is Cluster Development Manager at Space Wales, the trade association for the space sector in Wales. She has experience working across the UK space sector on projects including sustainable aviation, spaceport development and education. Rosie holds a PhD in Astrobiology and a first-class degree in Observational Astronomy from the University of South Wales, with a strong interest in the development of skills across the global space sector.
Talk Description
Space is becoming increasingly important to everyday life in Wales. In this talk, Rosie Cane, Space Wales Cluster Manager, provides updates on activity within Wales’ space sector and explores how space acts as an enabling sector - supporting connectivity, research and resilient public services. By linking Earth and orbit, space technologies help Wales tackle real-world challenges, from monitoring environmental issues to connecting remote and rural communities. This talk will focus on how space is not only about exploration, but about delivering practical benefits here on Earth.
| Date | Description | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | ||
| 4th September | The Chemistry of the Universe | Professor Mike Edmunds |
| 18th September | The History of Sir Fred Hoyle | Dr Simon Mitton, St Edmunds, Cambridge |
| 2nd October | CAS Museum Exhibit - Private Showing | Tiffany Kew, CAS |
| 16th October | Why Chile is the best place in the world for astronomy | Dr Roger Wesson, Cardiff University |
| 30th October | Second Star to the Right: a History of Celestial Navigation | Phill Wallace JP FRAS |
| 13th November | Exoplanets with high dynamic range | Prof Hugh Jones, University of Hertfordshire |
| 27th November | The Original Orion | Dr Nik Whitehead, Uni of Wales Trinity St Davids |
| 11th December | The sixty-four-trillion-mile tape measure | Dr Jane Clark, CAS and David Bennett, BAS |
| 2026 | ||
| 8th January | Trapping nanoparticles and what we can learn about space weather | Dr James Bateman, Swansea University |
| 22nd January | Wales In Space | Dr Rosie Cane, Space Wales |
| 5th February | The Secret History of a Space Telescope | Professor Stephen Eales, Cardiff University |
| 19th February | From the South Pole to Outer Space: Concordia research and ESA astronaut training - ZOOM EVENT | Dr Meganne Christian, UK Space Agency |
| 5th March | Astronomy and Art: Universal Appeal? | Dr Andy Newsam, Liverpool John Moores University |
| 19th March | Phosphine on Venus | Professor Jane Greaves, Cardiff University |
| 2nd April | Keeping Space Safe: How Advances in Space Domain Awareness and Space Traffic Control could affect you | David Sulley, UK Space Agency |
| 16th April | AGM | CAS Trustees |
| 30th April | Astrophotography, Astronomy and Telescope Making | Martin Budzynski, Crewkerne & District Astronomical Society |
| 14th May | Gravitational Waves (Title TBC) | Dr Vivien Raymond, Cardiff University |
| 28th May | Space Weather: What it is and how it can affect systems on Earth | Dr Biagio Forte, University of Bath |
| 11th June | Micro-Meteorites | Emma Wride, Director of AstroCymru |
| 25th June | Living with a star: solar activity and space weather - ZOOM EVENT | Professor Lyndsay Fletcher, University of Glasgow |
| 9th July |