We're celebrating 25 years of the National Space Centre in Leicester (@spacecentre.bsky.social). Six million visitors, including around two million from school groups, have been come through its doors and been inspired by the stories it tells! Prof Barstow writes here about how it came to exist.

25 years of the National Space Centre

Professor Martin Barstow, Professor of Astrophysics and Space Science, recalls how Leicester became home to a world-class, space-based visitor attraction. The National Space Centre in Leicester celebr...

citizen.le.ac.uk

Look out on BBC2 this evening for our lecturer @mcmillan-astro.bsky.social and team appearing on Only Connect! le.ac.uk/news/2026/ju...

Leicester astronomers are rising stars on BBC’s Only Connect | News | University of Leicester

A University of Leicester astrophysicist is putting his lateral thinking skills to the test in one of television’s most challenging quizzes.

le.ac.uk

🔭🎢 🌌 A reminder that TODAY at 16:30 BST our Dr Paul McMillan @mcmillan-astro.bsky.social, is giving a webinar about incredible recent discoveries about the Milky Way. Sign up below: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ten-things...

🔭🎢 Book your place below for the latest in our Earth & Space webinars, by our Dr Paul McMillan (@mcmillan-astro.bsky.social), talking about our incredible recent discoveries about the Milky Way When: Monday 22nd June at 16:30 BST www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ten-things... 🔭🎢

Ten things you might not know about the Milky Way

Learn new and fascinating facts about our galaxy in this online lecture!

eventbrite.co.uk

Huge congratulations to the SMILE team, including the team in Leicester who built its ultra-lightweight X-ray optics! SMILE measures how Earth’s magnetic field responds to the solar wind, helping to reduce the worst effects of solar storms before they strike 🔭🎢 le.ac.uk/news/2026/ma...

UK plays leading role as landmark mission launches to unlock secrets of Earth’s magnetic shield | News | University of Leicester

SMILE launches to provide first complete picture of how Earth’s magnetic field responds to the solar wind, improving predictions of solar storms that disrupt GPS, communications and power grids.

le.ac.uk

Worms in Space!! A whole new crew for the International Space Station as a worm laboratory, built at the University of Leicester, has been launched. 🔭🎢 🪱 le.ac.uk/news/2026/ap... 🔭🎢

Space Worms! UK scientists launch microscopic crew into orbit to support future Moon missions | News | University of Leicester

le.ac.uk

Three (3!) #postdoc jobs supporting #BepiColombo available right now: Leicester (deadline 31/05), Imperial (10/05), and OU (24/04). Led by @drbuncen.bsky.social on behalf of UK Mercury STFC team. www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DRA913/r... www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DRE596/r... www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DRA038/r...

Research Associate (Planet Mercury) at University of Leicester

Explore an exciting academic career as a Research Associate (Planet Mercury). Don't miss out on other academic jobs. Click to apply and explore more opportunities.

jobs.ac.uk

🎢 Today! Anyone is welcome to join our webinar on researching how pollution affects clouds and climate. Register via the link below! 🎢

University of Leicester, Physics & Astronomy@physicsuol.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Book your place below for the latest in our Earth & Space webinars, by our Dr Adam Povey, talking about his research on how pollution affects clouds and climate. When: Monday 20th April at 16:30 BST For more talks see: le.ac.uk/physics/abou...

Book your place below for the latest in our Earth & Space webinars, by our Dr Adam Povey, talking about his research on how pollution affects clouds and climate. When: Monday 20th April at 16:30 BST For more talks see: le.ac.uk/physics/abou...

Smoke & Mirrors: Satellite View On How Pollution Alters Clouds and Climate

Dive into how pollution twists clouds and climate from space—join our online chat, Smoke & Mirrors!

eventbrite.co.uk

🔭🎢 Join our webinar today at 5pm (GMT) to learn from Dr Jenny Carter about her new ESA mission called SMILE, due to launch soon. Sign up here 👉 le.ac.uk/physics/abou... SMILE will take X-ray images of the location that the solar wind first encounters the Earth's magnetic field and of the aurora.

We'd love to gather amateur Jupiter imaging over the next few weeks to provide context for this Jupiter campaign from #JWST (plus Juno with be flying by Feb 25th on #PerijoveDay!). More details here: leighfletcher.substack.com/p/supporting...

Supporting the JWST Jupiter Campaign in 2026

JWST is about to conduct its most comprehensive Jupiter campaign since 2022, and we're calling for amateur observers to share their images.

leighfletcher.substack.com

Looking to start a PhD in Physics & Astronomy in 2026? The team @physicsuol.bsky.social have announced their STFC-funded projects on offer next year, spanning astrophysics, planetary science, and space instrumentation. Deadline: Jan 18th, contact us to learn more! le.ac.uk/study/resear...

🧪🎢 PhD Project focus: High resolution thermal data for climate adaption to urban heating We're advertising this project with Dr Ghent, providing crucial inputs to climate adaptation and urban greening strategies For details of all our PhD projects look here: www.findaphd.com/phds/departm... 🧪🎢

🧪🎢 PhD Project focus: Carbonyl sulfide (COS) as climate diagnostic: improving space-based observations We're advertising this project with Dr Harrison, doing a complete re-evaluation of infrared spectroscopy of COS For details of all our PhD projects look here www.findaphd.com/phds/departm... 🧪🎢

🧪🎢 PhD Project focus: Impact of Abrupt Permafrost Thaw on Climate Change Projections We're advertising this project with Dr Robert Parker, using Earth Observation to detect and quantify abrupt thaw transitions For details of all our PhD projects look here: www.findaphd.com/phds/departm... 🧪🎢

🧪🎢 Public talk on Robotic Exploration of our Solar System today at 4:30pm (GMT) Join Prof Leigh Fletcher to learn about orbiters like the Juno and JUICE missions at Jupiter, rovers on the surface of Mars, and space telescopes like Hubble and JWST Register here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/robotic-ex...

Robotic Exploration of our Solar System

An exciting online public lecture on planetary exploration from the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Leicester

eventbrite.co.uk

🧪🎢 PhD Project focus: Sands of Time: Monitoring Aerosols to Improve Climate and Weather Forecasts We're advertising this project with Dr Adam Povey, improving our predictions of dust plume evolution For details of all our PhD projects look here: www.findaphd.com/phds/departm... 🧪🎢

🧪🎢 PhD Project focus: “Chasing the Black Swan”: Toward Robust Frameworks for Predicting Extreme Weather in a Changing Climate We're advertising this project with Dr Tim Trent, and scientists from the UK Met Office For details of all our PhD projects look here: www.findaphd.com/phds/departm... 🧪🎢

I still can’t believe they said my name!! I got the Global Space Award 2025 in the category of Science Breakthrough for my leadership of the M-MATISSE mission concept to Mars! A really wonderful night! Next step is to do our super best for the mission to be selected in June 2026!

Leicester has partnered with the China Scholarship Council to provide #PhD funding for Chinese students, with astro/planetary @physicsuol.bsky.social specifically mentioned as a priority. If you have contacts with Chinese undergrads, please do share - deadline Dec 11th. le.ac.uk/study/resear...

China Scholarship Council and University of Leicester joint PhD scholarships | Postgraduate research | University of Leicester

China Scholarship Council and University of Leicester joint PhD scholarships

le.ac.uk

Congratulations to our Prof Nial Tanvir and the rest of the international ENGRAVE collaboration awarded the Danish Government's inaugural Into Change Award for their work discoving the formation sites of the heaviest elements

Research group including University of Leicester astronomers receives one of the world’s largest research prizes | News | University of Leicester

le.ac.uk

🔭🧪🎢 PhD Project focus: AGN variability: hidden signals in the noise We're advertising this project with Prof Simon Vaughan, analysing AGN with methods that go beyond traditional models and assumptions For details of all our PhD projects look here: le.ac.uk/study/resear... 🔭🧪🎢

STFC | Postgraduate research | University of Leicester

STFC Studentships in Physics and Astronomy. University of Leicester

le.ac.uk

🔭🧪🎢 PhD Project focus: Novel Pu Gd oxides for Space Nuclear Power Systems We're advertising this project with Dr Emily Jane Watkinson, investigating new options to power exploration of the outer solar system For details of all our PhD projects look here: le.ac.uk/study/resear... 🔭🧪🎢

STFC | Postgraduate research | University of Leicester

STFC Studentships in Physics and Astronomy. University of Leicester

le.ac.uk

🔭🧪🎢 PhD Project focus: From gamma-ray bursts to fast radio bursts: the nature of astrophysical transients across the electromagnetic spectrum We're advertising this project with Dr Starling, where you'll be rapidly responding to astrophysical events Follow the link for all our PhD projects 🔭🧪🎢

STFC | Postgraduate research | University of Leicester

STFC Studentships in Physics and Astronomy. University of Leicester

le.ac.uk

🔭🧪🎢 PhD Project focus: SMILE: Northern Lights, Camera, Action! We're advertising this project with Prof Steve Milan, using ESA's new SMILE spacecraft to study connections between aurora and electrical currents in space For details of all our PhD projects look here: le.ac.uk/study/resear... 🔭🧪🎢

STFC | Postgraduate research | University of Leicester

STFC Studentships in Physics and Astronomy. University of Leicester

le.ac.uk

🔭🧪🎢 PhD Project focus: Towards a unified model of the Milky Way's dynamics We're advertising this project with Dr Paul McMillan, using Hamiltonian mechanics to understand our galaxy's history For details of all our PhD projects look here: le.ac.uk/study/resear... 🔭🧪🎢

STFC | Postgraduate research | University of Leicester

STFC Studentships in Physics and Astronomy. University of Leicester

le.ac.uk

🔭🧪🎢 PhD Project focus: Revealing Mercury’s surface composition with BepiColombo MIXS We're advertising this project with Dr Martindale, using first data from BepiColombo to determine whether surface minerals have been lifted there by asteroids For details of all our PhD projects look here:

STFC | Postgraduate research | University of Leicester

STFC Studentships in Physics and Astronomy. University of Leicester

le.ac.uk

🔭🧪🎢 PhD Project focus: Exploring the Atmospheres of Uranus & Neptune with JWST We're advertising this project with Prof Leigh Fletcher, using infrared spectral data to investigate the changing atmospheres of the ice giants For details of all our PhD projects look here: le.ac.uk/study/resear... 🔭🧪🎢

🔭🧪🎢 PhD Project focus: SMILE! Novel X-ray views of the magnetosphere We're advertising this project with Dr Jennifer Carter, analysing data from SMILE (launch early 2026) to understand Earth's magnetosphere and the solar wind For details of all our PhD projects look here: le.ac.uk/study/resear...