A chance to touch the moon!

A space expert from The Open University is bringing the largest Moon rock in the UK to events around Scotland for the first time. 

Prof Mahesh Anand, Professor of Planetary Science and Exploration at The Open University is visiting Dumfries, Galashiels, Ayr and Helensburgh as part of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society’s (RSGS) Inspiring People public talks series.  
 

People at the events will have the chance to handle a 1.3kg lunar meteorite that was discovered in the Western Sahara last year.   

Professor Anand will be discussing the next 50 years of lunar research and how the Moon could be used as a platform and gateway for a sustainable human presence in the Solar System beyond Earth.

A lunar research expert, Professor Anand was among the first scientists to discover water in lunar samples.

As the world marked the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing in 2019, UK scientists are leading new research bringing the possibility of living on the moon ever closer, paving the way for future lunar exploration over the next 50 years.

Professor Mahesh Anand said: “Over the past 50 years since the Apollo 11 Moon landing there has been a lot of research. We have analysed lunar samples brought back by the astronauts and new discoveries are still being made.

“I think discoveries made in the last five years have made it much more likely that we will see people going to the Moon for extended periods of time in the not too distant future. There is definitely a global demand for this as many more powers enter the space race.”

The events are taking place 7.30-9.00pm in Dumfries on 24 February, Galashiels on 25 February, Ayr on 26 February and Helensburgh on 27 February. 

Tickets are £10.00 (plus £1.37 booking fees), or free for students, under 18s, and RSGS members.