The Sun, our closest star, provides all the heat and light required for life on our world. Glancing up, it may appear to us to be just a boring, bright globe in our skies. Not so, says Prof. Robert Walsh of the University of Central Lancashire, introducing us to a close encounter.

“Your star is a massive atom smashing machine; a seething mass of electrified gases that at times is anything but quiet and uninteresting. In this talk we will learn how important the Sun is for us here on Earth, how its energy escapes out into space and explore the clash of solar and terrestrial magnetic personalities!”

Using the very latest space-based telescopes, he will guide us out from the solar core and help us surf the solar wind – “And then run for cover from immense solar storms that head our way!”