THE countdown has started to a spectacular event at Crawick Multiverse and nearby Sanquhar Town Hall.

Called Scotland’s Cosmic Collisions, visitors will be able to create a virtual universe, see a colourful costumed performance and hear talks by leading space scientists.

In addition they can try a galaxy making machine and use a virtual reality headset to witness the evolution of a cosmos at an accompanying exhibition called Cosmic Collisions: birth, rebirth and the universe.

The activities at Crawick Multiverse are ticketed separately from the talks and the exhibition is free.

Charles Jencks, Cosmic Collisions organiser and creator of the 55-acre space and astronomy themed Crawick Multiverse artland, has spent months designing and building the large new artwork called Galactic Collisions.

He said: “The whole event will be a wonderful mix of art and science – with lots to see, do and enjoy including a superb and colourful performance from Oceanallover.

“We are so lucky that our events attract some of the world’s leading figures from science and the arts.

“It’s going to be very exciting, with the galaxy making machine and other attractions at the exhibition, talks by scientists at the forefront of space research and the chance to see the new installation at Crawick Multiverse.”

The unveiling of Galactic Collisions by Mr Jencks and the Duke of Buccleuch takes place on Saturday, June 24, at 1.45pm with the performance afterwards.

It is ideal for all ages and people are invited to take their own picnic or pre-order one when they buy tickets — visit www.crawickmultiverse.co.uk for details.

“On Earth collisions are usually destructive and ugly, as in a car smash-up. In outer space it’s very different – galaxies fly into each other at 250,000mph and it results in the birth of a billion new stars.

“Our own planet would not even have its seasons if it hadn’t been for a huge meteorite strike, called the moon, that tilted its axis,” Mr Jencks added.

Speakers include Professor Carlos Frenk, Director of Durham University’s Institute for Computational Cosmology, whose computer simulations are pushing forward our understanding of how galaxies and the universe form, and Professor Monica Grady, who was part of the project to land the Philae probe on a comet.