Christmas really did go for a bang in a Leicestershire village sixty years ago.
It was on Christmas Eve, 1965, that the skies over Barwell were illuminated — not by the Star of Bethlehem with Three Wise Men in hot pursuit — but a fireball from space.
Narrowly missing Leicester, fragments of space rock rained down over the village, giving many people a rude awakening on Christmas morning when they found holes in their windows and roofs.
The space rocks might not have been appreciated by the public, but after meteorite hunters descended on the town, many people realised the value of what had landed in their laps, both monetarily and scientifically. The meteorite was older than the Earth itself- and now, it’s time to celebrate the Sixtieth anniversary of the Barwell meteorite.
On December 6, The National Space Centre is welcoming the public for a special day of celebration for Leicestershire’s own space rock, complete with guest experts, table-top activities, crafts and live demonstrations.
Start your day with the award-winning Mission Bake series with Dr Josh Smalley, presented live from the Live Space Gallery. Mixing baking with science communication, enjoy a hands-on demonstration combining the science behind meteorites with tasty treats.
Then, listen to an expert panel with Julia Cartwright, planetary scientist and Graham Ensor, owner of the largest meteorite collection in the UK and Leicestershire resident when the Barwell meteorite landed. Joined by Dan Kendall, Curator at the National Space Centre and Dhara Patel, Space Expert.
Finally, get hands on with real meteorites at busking sessions around the centre. You’ll even have the chance to take home your own piece of meteorite from MSG-Meteorites, a collector based in Lancashire who owns meteorites from all around the world.
The events will all be included as part of a regular day ticket, meaning that annual pass holders can rebook and visit for free, with no extra fee required for any of the day’s activities. Visitors who purchase tickets will be able to upgrade to an annual past at no extra cost, giving them the chance to visit the Space Centre for free as many times as they would like in a year.
For more information, visit the National Space Centre website here.