From mobile planetaria to one of the UK’s newest facilities, Matt Nutter has turned a lifelong passion for space into a career inspiring others to explore the universe.

As Planetarium Lead at Sherwood Observatory, Matt combines cutting-edge technology with a passion for astronomy to bring the wonders of the cosmos to visitors of all ages. Here he tells us about his journey into astrophysics, what happens behind the scenes in a state of the art planetarium, and the exciting projects that are helping make space science more accessible than ever.

Who are you and how did you get to work at Sherwood Observatory?

I am Matt Nutter, I have always been fascinated by space and science. Growing up, I gravitated towards physics then space science, leading to attending and later helping to run a space themed summer school before going to University to study astrophysics.
Upon graduating in 2018, I was fortunate enough to find a job presenting in mobile planetaria, and in 2024 I switched to a fixed planetarium in the newly built Sherwood Observatory Planetarium.

What is a planetarium?

A planetarium is a dome shaped cinema that allows people to be immersed in the projections. It is an ideal facility for looking at the night sky, stars and planets, without worrying about the rain or clouds.

How does the planetarium work?

Our planetarium is a 10m wide dome, using two 4k projectors that each cover one half of the screen. A specialised computer and software are controlling what is being projected onto the dome.

Describe a typical day in the planetarium?

The first thing I do, after saying the obligatory “morning” to my colleagues, is turn the computer on. This can take a few minutes, making this a perfect time for making a cup of tea.
Once the computers are fired up and I am suitably equipped with a cuppa, I continue to work on one of the many current projects, respond to emails, address any issues and troubleshoot ahead of the public shows.
About 10 minutes before each show, I open the doors and let people in to take their seats. Then it is time to run the trailers, do the welcome speech and begin the show. My favourite part is when I get a chance to answer the audience’s questions at the end of the presenter-led experience – seeing what people are interested and curious about, whilst also testing my knowledge and the planetarium’s capabilities to best answer the queries. This can lead to me answering questions from curious minds for 30 minutes after the show has finished!

What can a visitor expect when they visit?

Every ticket gives you a chance to explore the exhibition area situated in the renovated reservoir, frequent the cafe, take in the views, look at our new shuttle display and of course enjoy a show in the planetarium.
You’re in the planetarium for approximately 60 minutes, typically a half hour full dome show followed by a presenter led experience. More information on each show can be found on our website under each show’s description.
The presenter-led experience takes the audience from a typical cloudy daytime sky, to a star speckled night sky clear enough that the Milky Way is visible. We explore what is visible in that night’s sky along with some seasonal constellations before flying to another planet of your choice.
Q&A is at the end of the show, so if there is anything left unanswered or something you’d like explaining, this is the time to ask an astronomer.

What are some of the projects the planetarium has been or are currently involved with?

We have been involved with quite a variety of projects since we opened in November 2024. One of the first was collaborating with the Astronomer Royal for Scotland, Catherine Heymans, for National Astronomy Week. This was a week of “Chasing the Moon” shows and encouraging the public to follow along each evening.
On more than one occasion we have worked with local universities and students to give them a venue to present on topics from satellites to micrometeorites. The looks on the audience and scientist’s faces when they saw a meteorite sample barely 1 millimetre across being projected on the dome at 10 metres across was priceless.
Over the past year the University of Newcastle has been creating a sonification tool for planetaria, allowing data to be heard as well as seen. We were honoured to host a testing event with the help of volunteers from West Nottinghamshire College.
We have also worked with local pianist and composer Chris Miggells in an ambitious endeavour of having a piano concert in the planetarium with space visuals. It was a chance to really test the limits of the software from flying through the galaxy, gliding along the rings of Saturn, witnessing a dancing black hole and much more.

Discover more about upcoming planetarium shows.