Since the dawn of civilisation as we know it, humans have been looking to the skies, to gain an understanding of our collective past, and learn something about our future.

Estimated to have appeared around 200m years after the events of the big bang, the first stars of the universe suddenly came into being, shedding light in the darkness. These stars produced the essential building blocks for entire galaxies, for planets, and for the creation of life in the universe.

In this fascinating masterclass with Dr Emma Chapman, the author of First Light: Switching on Stars at the Dawn of Time, she will attempt to fill in the missing first one billion years from the timeline of the universe, by revealing more about the earliest stars – how they were formed and why they were so unusual.

Emma will also discuss recent discoveries in astrophysics, including what the James Webb space telescope is revealing to us about the origins of the universe, and what the next big missions in space exploration will be.

Course content

How the universe began: the big bang and the first stars
How stars created the building blocks for our universe
Finding the first stars: the latest research in stellar archaeology
The future of looking back: space exploration and the next big space missions
Q&A

This course is for

Anyone with an interest in the origins of the universe
Anyone who wants to learn more about space and space exploration

Tutor profile

Dr Emma Chapman is a Royal Society research fellow at the University of Nottingham. She is among the world's leading researchers in search of the first stars to light up our Universe, 13 billion years ago. In 2020, Emma released First Light, her first popular science fiction book, a dazzling narrative of the first 1bn years of the universe’s timeline. She has been the recipient of multiple commendations and prizes, including the Royal Society Athena Medal, and she is passionate about sharing her love of science, regularly speaking at public events and in the media.

If you live in the UK, you can purchase a ticket with a copy of First Light: Switching on Stars at the Dawn of Time at checkout for the combined price of £74.52 including postage and packing.

Course Details

Date: Thursday 17 August 2023
Time: 6.30pm-8.30pm (BST)

A catch up recording will be shared after the class and will be available for two weeks.

This masterclass is available globally. If you are joining us from outside the United Kingdom, please use this time zone converter to check your local live streaming time.

6.30pm BST | 7.30pm CEST | 10.30am PDT | 1.30pm EDT

You will be sent a link to the webinar 24 hours and 30 minutes before the start time. Please email masterclasses@theguardian.com if you do not receive the access link.

We aim to make Guardian Masterclasses accessible to all. If you require any adjustments to enable your participation in this course, please get in touch with us at masterclasses@theguardian.com.

This event will be hosted on a third-party live streaming platform Zoom, please refer to their privacy policy and terms and conditions before purchasing a ticket to the class.

Once a purchase is complete we will not be able to refund you where you do not attend or if you cancel your event booking. Please see our terms and conditions for more information on our refund policy.

The first stars: Understanding the universe with Dr Emma Chapman