James Webb Space Telescope: South Downs Planetarium in Chichester celebrates release of images with special live show

The planetarium received the groundbreaking new images late Tuesday evening (July 12) and presented the findings just an hour and a half later in the sold-out event, which required ‘a whole group of [volunteers] working flat out’ to prepare.

A second show was presented the next morning to an audience including sixth-formers from nearby schools who intend to study science at university.

The volunteer-run planetarium is visited by about 160 schools each year, and students were invited to take part in this exclusive event as part of a continuous effort to inspire the younger generation.

Planetarium founder and lecturer, John Mason, said: “Hubble inspired a whole generation of people to take up an interest in science, and James Webb will do the same.

"We need more people to have an interest in science.

“One of the reasons why we’ve invited sixth formers from local schools is because we want them to be inspired and we want them to be able to go off and study and take an interest in the subject and the fascinating possibilities this telescope opens up.”

The James Webb Space telescope is one of the most sophisticated of its kid ever launched, and the planetarium was one of few organisations chosen to take part in the worldwide community events celebrating the release of its first images and data.

Dr Mason said: “We were very privileged to be selected from this country.

“It’s an enormous honour to be involved in such things, and to be able to bring that to Chichester.”

“We were chosen to unveil the 25th anniversary image of Hubble. That was the first time we ever did one of these events, because we thought, you know, they’re not going to be interested in a small planetarium like us.

“But we punch well above our weight. We have a huge international reputation now, and so this time, we thought, what the hell, let’s go for it.

“But we’re on their list now, so they actually write to us now and ask if we’d like to be involved.

“It’s really been a fantastic rollercoaster of a ride for us. And of course, this is just the start.”

Have you read? Here are five things to do in Sussex next week