The National Space Centre is one of the United Kingdom's leading visitor attractions that is devoted to space science and astronomy. It is located in the city of Leicester, England.

The group lands in the large parking lot just outside of The National Space Centre, hidden from all muggle gazes thanks to some large shrubbery. Hopefully no one has become too queasy from the trip, but if you have those bushes are right there to...you know...help you out. After handing the portkeys back to Professor Flamsteed, he instructs you to remove your entry ticket and to follow him. REMEMBER! Under NO circumstances are you to break the The International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy. Approaching the ticket gate, the professor beams over his shoulder as he demonstrates the "proper way to hand over an entry ticket" by handing it to one of the muggle staff present - who gives you a perplexed look before uttering, "Welcome to The National Space Centre. Have a safe flight!"



Once inside, Professor Flamsteed instructs you to pull out your guide maps you picked up while still in the Astronomy classroom at Hogwarts so that he can go over the various activities he hopes you will be sure to take a look at before needing to catch the portkeys - now safely tucked away in his enchanted breast pocket - back at precisely 3:05 pm from the same location in the muggle parking lot.

ACTIVITIES
OOC: you do NOT need to do every single one of these activities for full participation credit for this lesson. I would like you to pick AT LEAST 2, ideally 3, and RP accordingly. There is no real post minimum for each activity as long as the content is there. Just have fun with things and, remember, your character is in MUGGLEDOM.

Please also feel free to look at the official website for the National Space Centre and click through some of the other things the place has to offer. I am taking a few liberties with some already existing exhibits there (and making up some of my own) - just work with me that the same thing in 2014 is there at 2085

Also, since we are all RPing in the SAME thread, please please PLEASE title your post with the LOCATION & ACTIVITY with which your character is participating in so we can all keep track of where we all are and find others to play with PLEASE AND THANK YOU!

Watch a show at the Sir Patrick Moore Planetarium

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[ official site ]

The Sir Patrick Moore Planetarium is the largest in the UK and was opened in 2012 by the astronomy hero Sir Patrick Moore to a packed house.

Each show combines the latest edge-blended video technologies, sound and computer animation to immerse you in a full 360º fulldome cinema experience for no additional charge!

The show currently playing on this day is one 2014, which was brought back by popular demand, titled We Are Aliens.

OOC: youtube has a TON of clips from this that you can take a look at. Here is a link to one of them and I am sure you can maneuver yourself to find the rest

And yeah...Rupert Grint *cues Twilight theme* I am not sure if we as a site have ever established whether the Harry Potter films we know and love exist in our SS canon as something that muggles will have seen *inserts all sorts of theories here* So, for now, let's assume they DO NOT. Rupert's face does not appear in the film as far as I know, so it is just his voice.

Take a tour of the Rocket Tower

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[ official site ]

he iconic Rocket Tower at the National Space Centre is home to Blue Streak and Thor Able rockets, as well as the Gagarin Experience, Apollo Lunar Lander and real Moon Rock.

The semi-transparent tower, which is clad in high-tech ETFE “pillows”, was designed specially to house the Centre’s largest artefacts, including the Blue Streak and Thor Able Rockets.

here are two pieces of Moon rock on public display in the UK and you can see the larger of the two at the National Space Centre. There is less than 1,000kg of Moon rock on earth, which makes this small artefact one of the most precious items you will ever see.
This Lunar sample was collected by Apollo 17 Astronaut Gene Cernan, the last man to walk on the moon, from a large fractured boulder near the rim of Shorty Crater.

Tranquility Base: The Moon Walk

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Create your own postcard of you jumping on the lunar surface to owl home!

The area is set up with staff around to assist you as you strap into the special "seat" that will help you feel as though you are jumping on the Moon. After jumping around for a bit, the photographer will take your picture and then, using the magic of muggle technology, make it look as though you really are jumping on the Moon!

You may elect to wear one of the provided astronaut costumes if you desire or take the picture as is.

OOC: if you want to manip or draw a picture for this you may do so for possible extra credit.

Tranquility Base: Astrobotic Mining

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The ultimate lunar challenge to see how much moon rock you can load using the digger before their time runs out.

A large arena with glass walls that prevent any entry stands before you. Behind the glass is a replica of the look and feel of the Moon's surface with various funny looking robots placed about it. After speaking with one of the muggles manning the area, you are handed a remote control to one of these replica Astrobotic Moon Diggers that you can then maneuver around the area to dig and scoop up "moon rocks" that must then be brought back to the appropriate labeled space station (Player 1, Player 2, etc) all the way to the right of the arena. You have 5 minutes to try and collect as many moon rocks as possible. If you do a stellar job then maybe, just maybe, the one of the muggle staff will let you take home a moon rock.

which is not a REAL moon rock, but a fabricated one that is...er...almost as good as the original?

Not too into mining? You can also try your hand at using another remote control to land the Lunar Lander on the Moon!

Tranquility Base: Astronaut Training

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Think you've got the stomach to be an astronaut?

Brought in special this year, the ATX (Astronaut Training Experience) is where you can put yourself to the test and see if you have the right stuff to become an astronaut. Immerse yourself in the exciting world of today’s astronauts with realistic astronaut training. You will hear first-hand from a veteran astronauts, experience a space shuttle mission simulation and perform hands-on space exploration activities.

The area is set up in a rather extravagant manner with two activities simulating a capsule out of control and experiencing weightlessness respectively.

Dine at Boosters Cafe

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[ official site ]

Round off your visit with a meal under our amazing rockets in Boosters restaurant. Serving a selection of freshly made and locally sourced sandwiches and snacks, as well as hot and cold drinks and our chef makes fresh soup everyday.

And of course don't forget to check out the Cargo Bay shop which stocks a full range of fun and interactive space toys, books, games and telescopes!

Checking his sundial watch, the professor gleefully announces that everyone is free to go about as you please...KEEPING CERTAIN THINGS IN MIND! And mentions something about living long and prospering, but by then you are probably already off and running!

OOC: please make sure you have posted in this thread departing from the Astronomy classroom BEFORE posting in here. It doesn't matter if you are just joining us now. Anyone and everyone is welcome to come!

There will be a very short homework assignment following this lesson, but consider this (with the addition of homework) the same weight as a final.

I will leave this thread open for several days (at least until noon on November 4th GMT) NEW CLOSING TIME SET FOR: Friday, November 7th at 10 pm PST and, while I hope to be around to have Airey interact with you all...I may be a bit scarce as I am preparing for a flight to America on Wednesday. I will be around to answer any questions you may have, however, so please feel free to shoot me a VM or PM if something comes up!

NOW GO HAVE FUN BEING WIZARDING CHILDREN TAKING OVER A MUGGLE LOCATION AND SANCTUARY OF SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY!

And don't break anything