Bringing the northern lights to your doorstep: A demonstration, and the science of, the planet size phenomena

Speaker: Dr Ian Whittaker, Senior Lecturer, School of Science & Technology, Nottingham Trent University
In 2024, the UK was treated to a spectacular display of auroras visible across the country. While the public marvelled at the celestial light show, my project student and I were in a dark laboratory, simulating auroras during the day. This talk will explore how we built a planeterella—an auroral simulator—at a fraction of the cost of similar setups at other universities.
We’ll also delve into the fascinating history of Kristian Birkeland, the original inventor of the planeterella. Birkeland, a pioneering space physicist, is not only known for his ground breaking work on auroras but also for his remarkable achievements, including inventing the electromagnetic cannon.
Additionally, we’ll explore why auroras have been more frequent lately and how this phenomenon connects to solar activity.
Join us for an engaging discussion on the science behind the aurora, its history, and what the sun has to do with it!
About the Speaker
Dr Ian Whittaker is a space physicist with a diverse career spanning research in space science, medical physics, and climate studies. After completing his MPhys in Physics with Space Science and Technology at the University of Leicester in 2006, and a PhD on Venus’ atmospheric interaction with the solar wind in 2010, he worked in medical physics at the Institute of Cancer Research. He later moved to St Andrews University to study solar coronal loops and then to the University of Otago, New Zealand, where he contributed to the EUFP7 project on electron precipitation from Earth's radiation belts, with models included in IPCC climate reports.
Dr Whittaker returned to the University of Leicester in 2015, focusing on solar wind interactions with X-ray telescopes, and became part of the SMILE mission, which is set for launch. In 2018, he joined Nottingham Trent University as a lecturer in space physics, where he has won multiple teaching awards and a national science writing award. His latest achievement is creating a sustainable auroral simulator, the planeterella, featured in this event.
Venue
Doors open at the venue at 18:30 with the talk beginning at 19:00. Please enter the Museum of Making via the Lombe Door.
There will be a bar available for the purchase of refreshments.
Please register for this talk as it helps with the rooming and refreshment arrangements and allows us to contact you should there be any changes to the talk details.