WOULD-BE astronomers were left starry-eyed at an event at Oxford University today.

Stargazing Oxford 2016 sparked the imagination of the city’s youngsters with a range of activities centred around the wonders of space.

Becky Smethurst, a final year PHD student in astrophysics, said the event had proved popular all day.

The 25-year-old said: "We have had a lot of people, it's been manic. There was a queue out the door when I got here. It's going very well. 

"Lots of the adults and kids have been looking through the telescope. We're hoping the skies stay clear as there is apparently snow on the way, but we have a planetarium if it comes to that."

She hoped the day would engage girls as well as boys. 

She said: “I think it is really important because a lot of girls are not exposed to astronomy as a kid, so they do not realise this is a possibility.

“If someone like me, an astronomer, is visible they might think it is really cool and I think it is important we make girls more visible in science.

“If we do not keep igniting children’s curiosity then scientific discovery comes to a standstill."

She hosted talks on pulsars and Pluto, then put her quiz master's hat on for a game based on BBC TV show Pointless.

Mark Richardson, a post doctoral researcher in astrophysics, said it was important to nurture children’s curiosity.

The 28-year-old, from Canada, said: “Astronomy is really accessible, so lots of kids are excited about it.

“Half of the world is above us and kids are naturally going to ask about this unknown part of our world. They become very curious and because of that astronomy is a gateway science.

“We need people who are going to make the next big discovery and if you do not keep feeding their curiosity it could mean the next revolutionary does not go into science but ends up in banking.”

The annual event tied in with BBC Two’s Stargazing Live programme hosted by physicist Brian Cox and Dara O’Briain.

Members of the public were able to get their hands on citizen science, a collection of records produced by ordinary people that have helped uncover scientific discoveries.

They also gave a space forecast from Mars, made a comet and looked through telescopes from the Abingdon and Chipping Norton astronomy societies.

The free event, at the Denys Wilkinson Building, in Keble Road, started at 2pm  and will end at 10pm.