Space Cafe Tokyo: "Lost" in Space, On Purpose
Astronomer Lucia Marchetti on how VR and digital planetaria help scientists explore huge astronomy datasets, over drinks in Shimokitazawa.
- When
- Thu, November 5, 2026 · 20:00–21:30 JST
- Where
- Good Heavens British Bar Tokyo, 2f 5-32-5 Daizawa, Setagaya, Tokyo 155-0032 · In person
- Region
- Kanto (Tokyo)
- Organizer
- Tokyo STEAM
- Language
- EN
- Source
- Meetup
Summary
A space-themed talk and drinks evening at Good Heavens British Bar in Shimokitazawa. Dr. Lucia Marchetti, Senior Lecturer in Astronomy at the University of Cape Town and Director of the UCT/IDIA Visualisation Lab, presents "'Lost' in Space, On Purpose: How VR is Changing the Way We Explore the Universe".
She opens with a tour of what we know about the universe, from star-forming clouds to galaxies and the cosmic web, then shows how her lab uses digital planetaria and virtual reality (through the iDaVIE tool) to turn vast datasets from observatories such as SKA and Vera Rubin into 3D worlds that researchers can step into, and how the same approach helps with complex data in other scientific fields.
Tickets are ¥1,500 at the door (cash only) and include a first drink. Doors open at 19:30 and the talk starts at 20:00.
About the community
A Tokyo series of live science, technology, arts and math talks held in bars and other casual venues, where researchers speak to a general English-speaking audience and the evening continues over drinks. The Space Cafe format focuses on astronomy and space science and runs regularly.
#astronomy#space#virtual-reality#data-visualization#science-talk#shimokitazawa