Late last year, NASA launched its most powerful space telescope yet.
Having entered orbit in January 2022, the new James Webb Space Telescope – aka JWST – is now fully operational.
"There is nothing more exciting in a world of exploration than going to a place about which you know nothing,” said planet Earth’s most prominent electric guitar-playing astrophysicist, Brian May.
“The sky's the limit for what we could find out."
Superseding the “window on the universe” Hubble Space Telescope launched in 1990 by the shuttle Discovery, JWST has already collected its first images.
Recently shared by NASA, this momentous reveal is being celebrated by a launch of a different kind: Graham Gouldman and Brian May’s collaborative song, Floating In Heaven.
May and fellow space enthusiast Gouldman’s new track is available to listen to on digital and streaming services here.
Meanwhile, the accompanying music video is available to watch on Queen’s YouTube channel…
Floating In Heaven is the latest in May’s space-oriented career.
In 2019, he released the track New Horizons (Ultima Thule Mix) – a personal tribute to NASA’s New Horizons mission and the Ultima Tule flyby.
However, May’s endeavours are far more than just musical.
In 2007, he famously earned a PhD in astrophysics from Imperial College, London.
Decades in the pipeline, his doctorate was put on the back burner for many years, having been somewhat ‘distracted’ while making music history with Queen since the early ‘70s.
“It was all going on at the same time,” May told Guitar Player back in the early '80s.
I thought music would be fun, but I'd never be able to do it professionally
Brian May
“I was at the university before I was able to indulge in fairly serious, semi-professional playing.
"I finally got an honours degree in physics from Imperial College, London [in 1968].
“I actually wanted to carry on because I thought music would be fun, but I'd never be able to do it professionally.
“I actually stayed on at Imperial College to do research in infrared astronomy and some part-time tutoring.
“I taught for a year at a comprehensive school, teaching kids from age 11 to 17.
“The group Queen was going on at that time, so I don't think I ever slept for that year.”
Co-authored by Brian May along with Dr Hannah Wakeford, Sir Patrick Moore and Prof Chris Lintott, Bang!! 2: The Complete History of the Universe is available to order here.
