AstroFest
AstroFest is an annual exhibition and conference celebrating astronomy and space exploration, held by Astronomy Now magazine at Kensington Conference and Events Centre in west London. It is a two-day event, taking place over a Friday and a Saturday usually in the first half of February. A trade show consisting of dozens of exhibitors and telescope dealers covers three floors of the town hall. Visitors can meet the Astronomy Now editors and contributors and discuss the magazine with them.
The accompanying conference programme, organized by Ian Ridpath and chaired jointly by him and Iain Nicolson, presents top speakers from the UK and overseas. Past speakers have included Ted Bowell, Jocelyn Bell Burnell, Carol Christian, Alberto Conti, Brian Cox, Monica Grady, David A. Hardy, David Hughes, Mat Irvine, Helen Keen, Rob Kennicutt, Jim Al-Khalili, Ed Krupp, David Levy, Keith Mason, Brian May, Fulvio Melia, Simon Mitton, Stephen O’Meara, Martin Rees, Chris Riley, Seth Shostak, David Southwood, Jill Tarter, and John Zarnecki. Allan Chapman is a regular speaker. The 2009 AstroFest saw the return of Sir Patrick Moore to relive his memories of Apollo 11 forty years on, and in 2010 he appeared with Brian May.
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