York residents will get the opportunity to step back in time next month when the BA Festival of Science comes to York.

A traditional camera obscura will be projecting displays of outside scenes throughout the week, from Sunday 9 to Saturday 15 September, between 11am and 5pm in Parliament Street.

The camera obscura is a darkened chamber with an aperture through which images of outside objects are projected onto a viewing surface. The pinhole camera obscura phenomenon was observed and recorded as long ago as the fifth century BC in China, but became popular with the general public in the 19th century, appearing on seafronts and in areas of natural beatuy.

Peter Boardman, the ocuncil's BA Festival c-ordinator, said; "The camera obscura reproduces the lighting effects that marvelled and amazed past generations and gives modern generations a chance to see the sort of entertainments enjoyed by their ancestors. The technology used to manipulate the light is actually very basic and yet the final result is something which is magical for people of all ages."

The BA Festival of Science will be in York from 9-15 September, bringing over 350 of the UK's top scientists and engineers to discuss the latest developments in science with the public.

This year's festival is organised by the BA (British Association for the Advancement of Science) in partnership with the University of York, Science City York and City of York Council. It is supported by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, BP and Yorkshire Forward.

For more information about the BA Festival of Science, including an online programme, visit www.the-ba.net/festivalofscience.