In this episode, we’re delving into the wonders of space and exploring the intersections between science, art and culture. We’re joined by Dr Dan Brown, an astronomer from Nottingham Trent University who oversees the university’s observatory and planetarium.We spend nearly half of our time under the open sky – it’s a canvas that has inspired humanity since the beginning of time. But how does it influence us, and how do we engage with the sky?Dan will be guiding us through the connections we have as humans with the sky and the creative genius of individuals like Lord Byron, who passed away 200 years ago today. Lord Byron was a major figure of the Romantic movement and is regarded as being among the greatest of English poets. He penned the haunting poem Darkness during a time of celestial upheaval, but what was happening in the sky during Byron’s era, and how did it shape his writing?Byron isn’t the only one captivated by the sky at that time – other writers, such as Mary Shelley, immortalised it in their craft and were inspired by the “Year without a Summer” in 1816, a chilling consequence of volcanic eruptions which altered our view of the sky and left a mark on history and inspired creative minds.From dating historical events based on celestial phenomena to winding back time with our knowledge of the stars, Dan will help us to uncover how key actors in space guide our understanding of the sky and how changes are represented throughout history.

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