Space Week Ireland Comes to Atlantaquaria Galway: Could Earth’s Oceans Yield Insights into Alien Life on Icy Moons?

As part of Space Week Ireland 2024, Atlantaquaria Galway is set to host an exciting and thought-provoking event on Monday, 7th October, exploring how life in Earth’s oceans could provide clues to what alien life might look like on distant worlds.

Joining the event will be former NASA astronaut Steve Swanson, alongside a team of experts from MTU Blackrock Castle Observatory. They will lead discussions on how the unique conditions found in Earth’s deep oceans—such as extreme pressure, darkness, and temperatures—can help inform our understanding of potential life beneath the icy surfaces of moons like Europa, one of Jupiter’s fascinating satellites.

This sold-out event is part of a weeklong national road trip with Steve Swanson and the organisers of Space Week Ireland and will also stop in Cork, Offaly, Dublin, and Kildare, connecting communities across Ireland with the wonders of space.

As NASA’s Europa Clipper mission prepares to investigate Jupiter’s icy moon Europa, questions about the possibility of life in alien oceans have captured imaginations. Europa is believed to have a vast subsurface ocean beneath its frozen crust, and similar environments may exist on other moons in our solar system. By studying how organisms survive in Earth’s extreme marine environments, scientists hope to gain insights into what life might look like in these extraterrestrial oceans. This event will take attendees on a journey through these scientific parallels.

Running from 4th to 10th October, Space Week Ireland is an annual celebration of Ireland’s involvement in space research and innovation, aiming to inspire people of all ages to explore the universe. This year’s road trip, led by MTU Blackrock Castle Observatory, will bring space exploration to life in new and exciting ways with interactive events, talks, and live-streamed sessions across the country.

Space Week highlights the importance of space research for advancing knowledge not only about the universe but also about life on Earth. As part of this year’s focus, the Galway event will emphasise the link between Earth’s oceans and the ongoing search for life beyond our planet, making it a must-see for anyone interested in science, space, and the possibility of extraterrestrial life.

Atlantaquaria Galway Event Details:

—  Date: Monday, 7th October 2024

—  Location: Atlantiquaria Galway

—  Special Guest: Former NASA Astronaut Steve Swanson

—  Hosted By: MTU Blackrock Castle Observatory and Space Week Ireland Team

—  Livestream: This event is sold out, but you can still follow the event live on the MTU Blackrock Castle Observatory YouTube channel

Check out the livestream to dive into the mysteries of the cosmos and explore the deep-sea wonders of Earth that may mirror those of distant planets!

Visit www.spaceweek.ie or subscribe to MTU Blackrock Castle Observatory on YouTube for updates on the road trip, notifications of live-streamed events and Space Week TV videos.