From scratchcards to stardust: The National Lottery’s space odyssey
13th March 2025
The night skies of 2025 are offering surprises like ‘the parade of planets’ that will not reappear until 2040. Up to seven of the eight planets in Earth’s solar system, visible. Like that rare sight, space science catches the eye when gazing across the deep universe of National Lottery data.
Boosting space science and its education, highlights from The National Lottery funding include:
- 26 space observatories
- 1 Royal observatory
- 11 planetariums
- 43 astronomy societies
- 1 National Space Centre
In the mix are unique places like Kielder Observatory located in ‘the darkest’ part of the UK, arguably, at Northumberland International Dark Sky Park.
Eleanor Macdonald is an Astronomer and Science Engagement Lead at Kielder Observatory, the perfect person to sum up stargazing and rare sights like the planetary parade.
“It's common to have one or two planets visible,” Eleanor says, “but what’s special about this particular year is just how many planets are visible – naked eye visible.”
What about light pollution?
“It shouldn't stop you from stargazing,” Eleanor explains, “it just might limit you to the brightest things in the sky. You can see Jupiter in the daytime – that's how bright it is. That's something people should get out to see.”
Kielder Observatory has had almost £150k via four National Lottery grants. Meanwhile, it's fast approaching £150m total to space science (about 10% of funding to the whole of science). How does Eleanor feel knowing that millions more have gone into space science and its education?
“For every one of us who work within space science, I think we've all got that moment, usually when we were kids, where we went to a museum, planetarium, or observatory, where inspiration was sparked, where interest suddenly came alive. So, I think it's amazing that we continue to put money into this, and that people see the worth in that.”
Blast off
Back in 1998, the largest one-off grant for space science cleared land and built, over 3 years, The National Space Centre, Leicester. That money (over £30m in two parts) was from The Millennium Commission, a historical part of The National Lottery family of distributors.
Today, CEO Chas Bishop reflects on some achievements as this unique Space Centre closes in on a quarter of a century.
“We’ve had six million visitors since launching in 2001. About 30% are children coming in formal school groups. We complement the classroom.”
As a charity, The National Space Centre has been taking space education to new heights.
“In 2008 we launched what became the National Space Academy in England, and by 2011 across Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland,” says Chas. “In 2024, that delivered GCSE and A-Level support to 16,000 students, of whom 15,000 were given free provision, through a contract with the UK Space Agency – keen to reach young people in schools in disadvantaged areas for whom price would have been a barrier.”
That’s epic, yet, like the universe, the impacts are expanding.
“More recently, our relationships with local colleges to deliver post-16 courses have seen 90% going on to Level 4 or higher education, many going to work at Blue Chip companies – one student is doing wing design for Airbus. That course won the Queen's Anniversary Prize (2024) for Further and Higher education.”
Stellar achievements for people serious about space. But why should the rest of us care more about space?
“We couldn't live without space,” Chas sums up. “You have used space, probably, a dozen times today without thinking about it. It’s the framework which allows not just Sat Nav but communications, banking, insurance, everything we rely on, day-to-day.”
That’s a great point to ponder the next time you gaze at the stars. Perhaps during National Lottery Open Week,15 - 23 March 2025, when Kielder Observatory and others like Armagh Observatory, Northern Ireland, are offering deals and perks to those wanting to visit something, literally, out of this world.
