SHOPPERS in Churchill Square were able to explore the stars when a pop-up planetarium came to the Brighton shopping centre.

As part of the British Science Festival, taking place across Brighton and Hove, budding astronauts, astrologists and stargazers journeyed to outer space – inside the temporary planetarium – via a special film created by the Royal Observatory Greenwich, complete with narration from an expert presenter.

Alongside a journey to the heavens, the science theme continued when a team from the University of Brighton, a co-host of the British Science Festival alongside the University of Sussex, hosted a free interactive event on Saturday, inviting parents to discover why footwear plays such an important role in supporting a growing child’s foot.

“We’re delighted that the British Science Festival was here this Saturday,” said Churchill Square centre director, Mark Buchanan-Smith.

“The free planetarium was a fantastic opportunity for visitors to the centre to experience the thrill of exploring the stars whilst learning more about the planets and constellations.

“As well as that and with the youngsters now back at school, it was perfect timing for parents to learn all about why footwear is so important for children.

“Having the British Science Festival in the city for the first time in 34 years is brilliant news for Brighton and it is great to be a part of the activities.”

The University of Brighton team was in Clarks throughout Saturday and parents could find out if the shoes they were buying were truly stable.

The British Science Festival is one of Europe’s largest science festivals and regularly attracts hundreds of the UK’s top scientists and speakers.