Earth and Space Webinars

SMILE! Taking the first pictures of the magnetosphere

Dr Jenny Carter, School of Physics and Astronomy & Space Park Leicester

9th March 2026, 17.00

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Launching in spring 2026, SMILE is going to take X-ray images of the region of near-Earth space where the solar wind first encounters the Earth'smagnetic field. SMILE will also take pictures of the northern hemisphere aurora, using an ultraviolet camera. This simultaneous view of cause and effect has never been done before, and promises to tell us a lot about how the Sun and Earth interact, helping a research field known as space weather.

Smoke and Mirrors: A Satellite View On How Pollution Alters Clouds and Climate

Dr Adam Povey, School of Physics and Astronomy & Space Park Leicester
20th April 2026

The seeds for most rain drops are tiny particles suspended in the atmosphere called aerosols. Changing that seed alters where the cloud forms, how long it lasts, and the likelihood of rain. This talk will explain how we use satellites to track releases of aerosols in order to better understand how pollution affects the nature of clouds.

Past webinars

7th January 2026: Monitoring Climate Change from Space
Dr Rob Parker, School of Physics and Astronomy & Space Park Leicester

Learn about the incredible research going on in School of Physics and Astronomy in Leicester through webinars given by our lecturers and professors. The Space & Earth webinars cover topics all the way from our environment to the most distant and dynamic parts of the universe!

These webinars are for anyone interested in Space & Earth, but particularly for anyone considering studying Physics at university.

Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere act as a blanket, warming our planet and driving climate change and can be emitted from human activity (like the burning of fossil fuels) as well as natural sources (like swamps). Using sophisticated instruments on Earth-observing satellites, we can measure how these gases vary globally and identify major sources of emissions. This talk will focus on what we’ve learnt so far and look ahead to the next generation of satellite missions that will take this capability even further.

December 10th 2025: Robotic Exploration of our Solar System
Prof Leigh Fletcher, School of Physics and Astronomy & Space Park Leicester

Join Leigh Fletcher, a member of Leicester’s Planetary Science team, to learn about the fleet of robotic spacecraft currently exploring the worlds of our Solar System: from planetary orbiters like the Juno and JUICE missions at Jupiter, to rovers on the surface of Mars, and complex space telescopes like Hubble and JWST. This talk will provide insights into the cutting-edge planetary research happening right here in the Midlands.

November 12th 2025: Solar Storms and the Northern Lights

Dr Darren Wright, School of Physics and Astronomy

The Northern Lights or aurora have been visible over the UK in recent years, most notably following the large solar storm in May 2024. Aurorae are a manifestation of a very dynamic battle in space between the Sun and the Earth. This interaction has a profound impact on human activities in space and on the ground. In this talk we will look at the cause of the aurora why it is important to society.