David Elder Lecture Series

Monthly astronomy lectures at Glasgow Science Centre's Planetarium, with expert speakers and a live Q&A, best suited to ages 16+.

Glasgow Science Centre hosts the David Elder Lectures in partnership with the University of Strathclyde's Department of Physics, continuing a tradition of monthly astronomy lectures in Glasgow dating back to 1905. The 2026-27 series features talks by expert astronomers, spaceflight pioneers and science writers: Prof. Catherine Haymens asks whether the universe is reality or a simulation (23 September), Dr. Setnam Shemar discusses atomic and cosmic clocks and testing Einstein's relativity (21 October), and Dr. Sarah Crowther covers the OSIRIS-REx mission to asteroid Bennu (25 November). Each talk starts at 7pm, lasts around an hour and is followed by a live Q&A; the lectures are best suited to older teenagers and adults.