Friday in Edinburgh – What’s On Today

Exhibition Launch: Alasdair MacDonald. Ally is a self-taught artist painting mainly in oils on canvas or board. 7.30pm, Sofi’s Bar, 65 Henderson Street. Free bubbles and nibbles!

Bookbug: rhymes and songs for young children and their parents/carers. 10.30-11am, Oxgangs Library, 343 Oxgangs Road North. Free.

Feely Friday: drop in every Friday afternoon in term time to explore real and replica objects from the Museum’s fascinating handling collection. From Vikings to Victorians, mammoths to meteorites and more – what will you get to grips with? NB: children must be accompanied by an adult. 1.30-4.30pm (drop-in) today and every Friday until 13th February 2015, National Museum of Scotland, (check Museum’s information screens on the day for exact location), Chambers Street. Free, no booking required.

Four Corners: good time soul music for dancing and the perfect start to your weekend, ‘a rapturous blend of soulful dancefloor music, new and old, from right across the map, with DJs Simon Hodge, Astrojazz and Johnny Cashback. 11pm-3am, Bongo Club, 66 Cowgate. £3 before midnight, £5 after. The Bongo Club is an independent night club, gig venue and artistic hub owned by local arts charity Out of the Blue. It encourages the community to get involved and ‘use our space to do their own thing’.

The Astronomical Society of Edinburgh: Steve Owens (Dark Sky Diary) will speak on In Defence of Night: dark sky protection and astronomy tourism.  Steve is an award-winning freelance science communicator, writer, astronomer and sceptic, author of Stargazing for Dummies. He ran the Glasgow Science Centre for five years, and helped to establish the UK’s first International Dark Sky Park in Galloway. He hosts a range of stargazing events. 8pm, Church Centre, Augustine United Church, 41-43 George IV Bridge. Entry is free for members and non-members.

NEON21 – Beyond The Ivory Towers: Careers Outside Academia. An event for PhD/MSc students and postdoctoral researchers, from all universities and institutes, who are interested in finding out more about careers outside academia. NEON21 is a careers conference designed specifically for research students and staff, with a range of speakers who have PhD and postdoctoral experience but are now pursuing careers outside academia. There will be opportunities to network and to engage with the speakers. For more information about the speakers, and to book a free place, see eventbrite. 10.30am-4.30pm, Epworth Hall, City of Edinburgh Methodist Church, Nicolson Square.

Balerno Village Screen: The Imposter (15) ‘a gripping thriller that walks the razor’s edge between true-crime documentary and stylish noir mystery’. 7.30-9pm, Ogston Hall, Deanpark Brae, Balerno. Free tickets can be booked via eventbrite or obtained from Balerno Post Office and The Mill Cafe. Balerno Village Screen is a community cinema initiative funded entirely by donations.