Ping Pong Comets

Decorate your own icy balls of celestial shrapnel and watch their tails stretch out behind them as they face the solar wind.

Comets are near-pristine objects formed at the same time as the Solar System. As well as lighting up our night skies with their long tails, they may have also brought water and building blocks of life to Earth.

At the Great Exhibition Road Festival you can make your own with members of European Space Agency’s Comet Interceptor mission, which is due to launch in 2029, and aims to catch up with, analyse, and 3D-map a comet in unprecedented detail. The team will be helping families make and decorate their own Comet Interceptor targets using ping-pong balls and tissue paper before using them to demonstrate how a comet’s famous tail forms when they come close enough to the Sun.

Visitor information

This is a drop in event that is most suitable for ages 5+. The event has step-free access.

To attend the Festival, please make sure to register for free. Registering is the only way to receive the latest Festival updates, a first look at the programme, and opportunities to book free tickets for popular events.

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