Cunard Partner With Royal Astronomical Society

Cunard Cruise Line has this week announced a new partnership with The Royal Astronomical Society on Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and QE2. The partnership begins this summer – with the RAS offering custom night sky displays of constellations and star navigation instruction as well as highlighting astronomical points of interest using SkyScan software.

"At Cunard, we are committed to offering our guests a dynamic and diverse range of enrichment opportunities," said Carol Marlow, president of Cunard Line. "Our new partnership with The Royal Astronomical Society brings another new and innovative learning experience to our cruise guests, allowing unprecedented access to one of the UK's most renowned and historic scientific institutions."

RAS Fellows scheduled to sail in the months ahead include:

Alan Fitzsimmons on QE2’s 27th August Mediterranean Mosaic Cruise - Professor of Astronomy at Queen's University Belfast. Fitzsimmons is an expert on the solar system with a particular interest in killer asteroids. Fitzsimmons' lecture topics will include The Path of the Dinosaurs and The Life of Stars.

Paul Murdin on QE2’s 27th August Mediterranean Sojourn Cruise - Fellow, Institute of Astronomy and member of Wolfson College, University of Cambridge and Visiting Professor, John Moores University, Liverpool. Murdin has worked in five countries studying exploding stars and black holes. His topics include a discussion of the cosmic history of water, climate change and the universe's composition.

Dr. Alastair Gunn on QM2’s 15th November Transatlantic Crossing - Professional Astrophysicist, musician and author. Gunn's professional research relates to the extended atmospheres of highly active binary stars.

Dr. Roberto Trotta onboard QE2’s 21st November Caribbean Adventure- Lecturer at Imperial College, London, and former Lockyer Fellow of RAS at the Astrophysics Dept. of Oxford University and Fellow of St. Anne's College, Oxford.

Ian Ritpath aboard QM2’s 29th November Southern Caribbean Calypso Cruise - Astronomer, author and former Council member of the RAS. Ritpath is the editor of the Oxford Dictionary of Astronomy and author of The Monthly Star Guide and Star Tales, in which he explores his interest in Greek myths of the constellations.

Dr. Simon Mitton on QM2’s 9^th December Southern Caribbean Calypso Voyage. Astrophysicist, Fellow of St. Edmund's College at the University of Cambridge and member of the Department for the History and Philosophy of Science, and Jacqueline Mitton, Astronomer, author and media spokesperson for RAS.  

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