A Multi-Sensory Inspection of the Universe

Beautiful multi-colour images of planets, galaxies and even the region close to a supermassive black hole are regularly presented on television, online and in printed materials. These images are very inspiring and showcase a wide array of the extreme physics of our Universe. However, the images presented are far from what can be seen with the naked eye and usually contain artificial choices of how to colour the images. In this talk we will demonstrate how we can take multi-sensory approaches to enjoy and study the Universe. We will take you an an introductory tour of projects from around the world that present astronomical data or phenomena through tactile models and sound, with applications for education and for professional research. Crucially, these multi-sensory approaches make astronomy more accessible to those who are blind or who have low vision. Tune in for an array of  audio experiences of astronomy, including listening to planets around distant stars and to hearing the stars appear above the Paranal Observatory in Chile

Dr Chris Harrison is an Astronomer based at Newcastle University. He studies supermassive black holes and galaxies, as well as exploring how sound can be used for Astronomy education and research.

Dr Nic Bonne is an Astronomer and Public Engagement Officer based at the University of Portsmouth. Having had a vision impairment since birth, he uses his experience to develop educational resources to help vision impaired people learn about Astronomy.