大象传媒

THIS EVENT IS NOW FINISHED

For the first time in its illustrious 50 year history, the huge dish of the Lovell radio telescope will take a break from earwigging on the universe to act as a giant open air projection screen.

The event - called Space50 - will display spectacular images of the cosmos, early space exploration, the Moon, the solar system, and the construction of the Lovell telescope itself.

Dr Alastair Gunn, the production manager for the event, said: "The overall effect should be quite breathtaking.

"With a screen that size, the audience will be completely immersed in sound and light. We're hoping to make the projected image at least 150 foot tall, twice the biggest IMAX screen in the world."

Space Age

Space50 marks both the golden jubilee of the famous telescope and the dawn of the Space Age, and kicks off two weeks of celebrations called the 'First Flight Festival'.

The Lovell telescope became operational in October 1957 and its very first use was to track the carrier rocket that launched Sputnik 1, the world's first artificial satellite. Hence, 2007 also marks fifty years of the Space Age.