Essential Information
| Type | Talks and tours |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Date and Times | Friday 21 February 2025 | 6.30-7.30pm |
| Prices | Adults: £10 | Students & Under-25s: £9 |
| 10% off for Members. Not a member? Join now |
Since antiquity, people have drawn, painted, printed, etched and stitched the stars into the fabric of art history. Invariably punctual and precise in their rhythmic rising and falling, the stars sparked an unending curiosity in early humans about the patterns and principles of the physical world. Stellar configurations in the arts lay forth the ubiquitous habit of looking skyward from our earthly positions, inspiring boundless imagination and invention.
This event will explore the various ways artists have represented the universe and the techniques employed to capture the essence of the astronomical sublime. From the first naturalistic portrayal of the night sky in Western art to abstracted astral expressions and artistic retellings of celestial myths of origin, the event presents reflections of astronomical knowledge in visual culture.
Visual experiences of the cosmos concretised and embodied our stellar pursuits, having profoundly shaped human understanding of the universe and our place in it. Taking place in the Peter Harrison Planetarium, this event presents astronomical imagery in art history alongside the celestial objects from which the works were inspired.
About the speaker
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Skye Weston is an independent researcher and art historian. She received her BA in the History of Art and Archaeology from SOAS, University of London, where she developed and refined her interest in global majority and diasporic visual cultures. Skye underwent her MA in the History of Art from the Courtauld Institute of Art, where she specialised in ‘Black Futures: Reimagining Modernism after Critical Race’. In 2023, she was the sole recipient of the Paul Mellon Centre’s ‘New Narratives’ MA Studentship to pursue her research on the implications of colonialism in wartime medical iconography, echoes of the British Empire in representations of the NHS, and the visual role of hospitals in constructing a British national consciousness.
Skye is interested in the relationship between science and art, specifically artists’ impressions of scientific concepts within their works. Her current research on the influence of astronomy on arts, culture and society spawned from her avid interest in Afrofuturism and twentieth-century science fiction literature, notably their use of the sciences as metaphors for our shared or individual human experiences.
Plan your visit
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This event will be held inside the Peter Harrison Planetarium, part of Royal Observatory Greenwich. As the Observatory is located inside Greenwich Park, access is restricted after the Park has closed, which will be the case for this evening event.
On arrival, access is only possible via minibus picking up from St Mary's Gate (at the northwest end of the Park). Visitors should head to the gate where a minibus will be waiting to take them up to the Observatory. Please aim to arrive at least 15 minutes before the event is due to start.
You will then be directed to enter via the Astronomy Centre gate (pictured).
At the end of the event, visitors must leave the Park via minibus, which will drop off back at St Mary's Gate.
Please be aware that this minibus is not wheelchair accessible. If you need to make alternative arrangements, please contact Bookings at bookings@rmg.co.uk or call 0208 312 6608.
Frequently asked questions
When should I arrive?
Please allow enough time to get to us and aim to arrive at St Mary's Gate (at the northwest end of the Park) at least 15 minutes before the event’s start time on your ticket, as latecomers cannot be admitted.
Can children attend?
This event is suitable for ages 16+.
What provisions are in place to support those with additional needs?
From moving around our site to being inside the planetarium, check out our full accessibility information here.
Note that access to the Observatory for this event is via minibus. Please be aware that this minibus is not wheelchair accessible. If you need to make alternative arrangements, please contact Bookings at bookings@rmg.co.uk or call 0208 312 6608.
I have another question.
Check our frequently asked questions here. If you're still not sure, call or email the Bookings team.
Call: +44 (0)20 8312 6608
Email: bookings@rmg.co.uk
Header image Jean-Francois Millet, Starry Night, from Yale University
What’s On
More events at the Royal Observatory.
