Clifton pupils check out constellations

The planetarium was part of a Stargazing Live party, one of a series of BBC Stargazing Live events taking place across North Yorkshire.

Highlight of the event was a lecture on Things That Go Bang In The Night by Dr Andy Newsam, Director of the National Schools’ Observatory and Reader in Astronomy Education at the Liverpool John Moores University.

The party also included an astronomy exhibition, stargazing with York Astronomical Society, astro-magic and a series of hands-on experiments.

David Morris, head of physics at St Peter’s School, said: “The Stargazing events are a fantastic way of introducing people to astronomy and physics. Dr Newsam is an inspirational speaker.”

The pupils also had a day of space exploration, including the arrival of a mystery spaceship and a friendly alien, plus visits to a Space Bus and the chance to carry out several experiments.