All around the world, throughout the ages, civilisations looked up to the night sky and played games of join-the-dots with the stars. The patterns they made were combined with the human imagination to tell stories of things, animals, people. Although some of these stories are shared imaginings, many are completely unique to specific cultural identities.

Today, astronomers worldwide use 88 constellations from western mythology, defined by the International Astronomical Union, to support international collaborations in the field of astronomy.

In this Messin' Sessions workshop, we’ll tap back into our ancient storytelling roots and share our own imaginings in a relaxed online group setting. The hour-long session will introduce you to the science and folklore behind the constellations in the night sky, presented by our own astronomy expert Brendan Owens. You’ll get the chance to create your own hands-on constellation, and be guided through developing your own folklore to suit your unique starscape.

What you’ll need:

- A cardboard cereal box (just remember to empty the cornflakes first!)

- Sellotape

- Scissors

- A light source (your phone torch or a bike light should do)

- A pencil

- Markers/coloured pencils

The workshop requires zero experience. All are welcome, but please note we only have a limited number of tickets available - so only register if you can attend.

Please note the workshop is suitable for participants aged 15+.

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 821832.