Announcements

31 January 2019: The winners of the Catch a Star 2018 Contest have been announced. Each winner will receive a mounted image featuring ESO telescopes in Chile, courtesy of ESO, such as the awe-inspiring Whirling Southern Star Trails over ALMA. Additionally, the European Association for Astronomy Education is providing the top 2 winners and the new special category winners with the unique opportunity to hold a video conference with a professional astronomer. The prizes were awarded as follows: First prize: “Detecting the exoplanet HD189733b” by Carl-Fuhlrott-Gymnasium Wuppertal/Germany Second prize: “Cosmic rays” by Specialised Language High School "N.Y. Vaptsarov", Shumen, Bulgaria Third prize: “Low Cost Astrobiology Studies” by Colegio Huerta de la Cruz, Cádiz, Spain Fourth prize: “Calculations of the energy escaping from a black hole” by Evangelisches Gymnasium, Lippstadt, Germany Fifth prize: “The 13th constellation Ophiuchus” by Skrundas Secondary School, Latvia Special category winner (students up to 15 years old): “Sidereus Nuncius, a ...

30 January 2019: Starting this year, the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE) will sponsor a special event to celebrate the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, called “Women in Astronomy”. The ESO Supernova is delighted to be hosting the first of these public events. Every year there will be an outstanding female scientist guest giving a public talk. This year the speaker is former ESO astronomer, Dr. Nadine Neumayer (MPIA Heidelberg), and her talk will take place on 11 February : Public talk (in German) — "Giganten der Schwerkraft - Schwarze Löcher in den Zentren von Galaxien” at 19:00 in the ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre The ESO Supernova will be open specially for this activity on that evening. If you would like to attend, you need to book a seat in advance at https://supernova.eso.org/programme/detail/es1141/ The ESO Supernova will be open 1 hour before and for 1 hour ...

30 November 2018: The latest issue of the free magazine Science in School is now available online and in printed form. This European journal for science teachers offers up-to-date information on cutting-edge science, teaching materials and projects in science education, interviews with inspiring scientists and teachers, reviews of books and other resources, and many other useful resources for science teachers. It aims to promote science teaching by encouraging communication between teachers, scientists and everyone else involved in European science education. Some of the highlights of this issue include: a review of the upcoming changes to the formal definitions of SI base units, due in May 2019; an article about the futuristic applications of thermophilic microorganisms; and an introduction to a powerful new diagnostic technology using full-colour X-ray scans. Teaching activities include: an activity building a loudspeaker using simple materials; a calorimetry experiment using nutshells for bioenergy; and a guide to organising a science ...

1 November 2018: Following a thorough assessment, the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB — Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen) has awarded the ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre the gold certificate for sustainability. This award recognises the ways in which the ESO Supernova adheres to high standards of sustainability. The council assessed the building in six different categories: environmental, economic, sociocultural and functional, technology, processes and location. The award takes into account not only the conservation of energy and use of sustainable materials, but also features such as the comfort of those who visit and work in the centre. The DGNB concluded that the ESO Supernova is so committed to sustainability that it meets the requirements for a gold certificate. Visitors to the centre can see the plaque acknowledging the ESO Supernova’s gold standard by the front entrance. More Information The ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre The ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor ...

31 October 2018: The ESO Supernova is proud to announce a new show in its line-up. The Planets — Expedition into the Solar System, jointly created by 19 planetariums in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, including the ESO Supernova, explores the planets of our Solar System close-up. The music for the new show was written by the composer Frank Wolff. The Planets — Expedition into the Solar System will be shown in the ESO Supernova planetarium from 30 November 2018. In recent years, space probes from different space agencies have explored other Solar System planets, such as Mars and Jupiter, so we already know what astronauts could experience there. But human explorers have not yet actually visited any of these worlds and it will be a long time before anybody has the chance to do so. In the new planetarium show The Planets — Expedition into the Solar System you will travel out and ...

23 October 2018: The winner of the ESO-offered bursary for the Winter AstroCamp 2018 has now been selected from 95 applications from 15 countries. ESO is delighted to announce that James Weyringer, an Austrian citizen, is the winner of the ESO bursary. The standard of applications was extremely high, from a variety of enthusiastic future scientists and engineers keen to attend this year’s camp. The ESO bursary covers the full cost of the camp, providing James with financial assistance to participate in this potentially career-defining event. Other applicants have been selected to receive financial support from other institutions across Europe. ESO and its Science Outreach Network are collaborating with the science education event organiser Sterrenlab and the Astronomical Observatory of the Autonomous Region of the Aosta Valley (OAVdA) to organise the sixth ESO Astronomy Camp. The exciting event will take place from 26 December 2018 to 1 January 2019, in the Aosta Valley, ...

9 October 2018: On 15 and 16 October 2018 ESO will host a Teacher Training Workshop initiated by Denmark’s Physics and Chemistry Association (Copenhagen/Zealand division). The participants will attend lectures and laboratory visits, engage in hands-on sessions and benefit from the educational programme of the ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre. Throughout the workshop, participants will be introduced to cutting-edge astronomy, groundbreaking telescope innovations and advancements in detector technology. They will also experience inquiry-based learning methods designed to engage students and improve their science literacy and problem-solving skills. By learning about astronomy in a direct way, the participants will return to Denmark as ambassadors of astronomy who will educate the next generation of scientists and engineers. This will be the first ESO Teacher Training Workshop organised for Danish educators. The ESO Supernova regularly offers teacher training sessions that not only connect teachers with astronomers and engineers, providing them with an understanding of the ...

8 October 2018: ESO, the world’s most productive ground-based observatory, will open its doors to the public on Saturday 13 October 2018 between 11:00 and 18:00 CEST. The ESO Open House Day event will be held at ESO’s Headquarters in Garching, near Munich, Germany. Visitors will have the opportunity to experience the world of ESO first hand by taking part in many different activities; the programme of activities for the day is set out below. Our Open House Day is part of the Tag der offenen Tür that is taking place across the Garching research campus, as well as at several other local institutes. If you need help finding your way around during the Open House Day, look out for our members of staff, who will be wearing name badges. As ESO is an international organisation, our staff speak several languages between them. Media representatives who wish to attend the event are asked ...

8 October 2018: ESO is proud to announce the release of the English version of Mexica Archaeoastronomy: Between Space and Time, a brand new open-source planetarium show illustrating the important role played by astronomical observation in the evolution of pre-Hispanic cultures in central Mexico. The 20-minute show was produced by Frutos Digitales in collaboration with ESO. The ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre is excited to add Mexica Archaeoastronomy: Between Space and Time to its growing collection of planetarium shows. Mexica Archeoastronomy adopts a style similar to that of Mayan Archeoastronomy, an earlier result of ESO’s collaboration with Frutos Digitales, and artfully intertwines science and mythology. The new show delves into how the Mexicans used the calendrical and astronomical knowledge of previous cultures to found the capital of their empire, Tenochtitlan. Vibrant colours, shapes and sounds transport the viewer to a culture that, to this day, still lives on in the hearts of ...

13 September 2018: On Saturday 13 October 2018 between 11:00 and 18:00 CEST, the European Southern Observatory (ESO) will open its doors to the public at its headquarters in Garching bei München, Germany. This event forms part of the Open House Day activities taking place across the whole Garching research campus, when several other research institutes also open their doors to the public. The ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre will also be open on the day with its usual programme, which can be found here. ESO can be found at location number 39 on this map of the campus. Information on how to travel to ESO’s Headquarters in Garching can be found here. Some of the highlights of the 2018 programme are: See the ESO Headquarters buildings — join guided tours through the innovatively styled office building and the technical building. Learn how ESO creates artificial stars, see what mirror prototypes for ...

8 August 2018: ESO and its Science Outreach Network are collaborating with the science education event organiser Sterrenlab and the Astronomical Observatory of the Autonomous Region of the Aosta Valley (OAVdA) to organise the sixth ESO Astronomy Camp. The camp will take place from 26 December 2018 to 1 January 2019, in the Aosta Valley, Italy. The camp will explore the theme of exoplanets in several astronomical sessions, including lectures, hands-on activities and nighttime observations with the telescopes and instruments at the observatory. Social activities, winter sports and excursions will contribute to making the camp a memorable experience for the participants. ESO and OAVdA will be responsible for the scientific programme of the ESO Astronomy Camp, and together with several other partners will provide lecturers and material. The registration fee of €550 covers full-board accommodation at the hostel in Saint Barthélemy, supervision by professional staff, all astronomical and leisure activities, materials, excursions, internal ...

26 June 2018: The latest issue of the free magazine Science in School is now available online and in print. This European journal for science teachers offers up-to-date information on cutting-edge science, teaching materials and projects in science education, interviews with inspiring scientists and teachers, reviews of books and other resources, and many other useful resources for science teachers. It aims to promote science teaching by encouraging communication between teachers, scientists and everyone else involved in European science education. Some of the highlights of this issue include: an article about the curation of “big data” in molecular biology; an overview of the Astro Pi challenge for schools; and a fascinating article on the evolution of new species. Teaching activities include: experiments with bananas to learn about biochemical processes; using road safety as a means of teaching physics; and a set of chemistry experiments involving the distillation of aromatic plant materials. Science in School ...

15 June 2018: Join us at the ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre for a special event on Saturday 30 June to mark Asteroid Day 2018. Over one million asteroids have the potential to impact the Earth, and so far we have detected just 1% of them. To raise awareness of the asteroid impact hazard, a global campaign, called Asteroid Day, was endorsed by the United Nations in 2016. ESO Supernova is joining forces with the European Space Agency and the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics to host its own Asteroid Day event. Come along for a full day of family-friendly activities, including interactive demonstrations, hands-on experiments and engaging science talks. During the day you will find out all about how ESO’s telescopes search for asteroids, about discoveries they have made so far and also about ESO’s role in the International Asteroid Warning Network. You will also discover how scientists from the ...

7 June 2018: On Friday 22 June and Saturday 18 August, the ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre will host Fragmented Future, a unique audiovisual experience performed by Munich-based ESO Music Ambassador tonelabs. The show immerses audiences in a unique audiovisual journey through the real and virtual Universe. Musicians Ali and Max, alias tonelabs, live in Munich and produce music which is not just a sequence of sounds, but also an attitude to life. In these special events at the ESO Supernova, they will present their composition Fragmented Future — a musical journey which invites audiences to discover new dimensions. Each track has its own unique atmosphere, colour, and mood and combines animations and videos from around the world. The performances, which will be in German, are free of charge and are aimed at the general public, including children over 8 years old. To book your tickets and learn more about this engaging ...

25 May 2018: On Sunday 10 June, Sunday 15 July and Wednesday 15 August, a brand new family activity called Solar Observations will be hosted at the ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre. Come along to see the Sun like never before thanks to equipment provided by the Amateur Group for Astronomy Projects at ESO (AGAPE). Using a telescope shielded by a filter that acts like a very effective pair of sunglasses, you will discover the details of the surface of the Sun, including sunspots. Even if no sunspots are visible due to low solar activity, you will still have the opportunity to see a stunning view of the Sun using a telescope equipped with another special filter. The Sun is the closest star to Earth. Its light and warmth allows life on Earth to evolve and thrive. Although the Earth orbits the Sun at a seemingly huge distance of approximately 150 million ...

24 May 2018: On Friday 1 June, a new monthly planetarium show will be presented live for the first time at the ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre. The Sky Next Month will be an informative and engaging show, guiding you through the upcoming observational highlights of the night sky. The second showing of The Sky Next Month will be on Friday 29 June and it will be presented monthly thereafter. Discover which planets are visible, if there are any meteor showers to be seen, and how to use the constellations as your guide to see other astronomical objects or events. Alongside this tour of the night sky, you will learn about all the latest exciting scientific discoveries and developments from ESO and partner institutes. Tickets for The Sky Next Month are free of charge and the show is aimed at the general public, including children over 8 years old. It will be ...

18 May 2018: We’ve all seen Hollywood blockbusters in which life on Earth is threatened by violent asteroid impacts, but just how realistic are these situations? Planets like the Earth are not the only objects orbiting the Sun; innumerable other smaller objects also whizz around our Solar System, and occasionally some of these pass close to the Earth. Scientists call objects that have the potential to approach Earth at a relatively close distance Near-Earth Objects. You are invited to join us at the ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre on 26 May for a free family activity that will give you the chance to engage with expert scientists and find out more about these fascinating objects. You will hear about our current knowledge of Near-Earth Objects, their potential hazards and the possible safety precautions we should take. The interactive activity, Near-Earth Objects, will also give you the chance to witness the “birth” of ...

17 May 2018: On Friday 25 May the ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre will host a cultural performance — Mare Stellaris by Austrian electronic musician Stan Dart. In this show full of mesmerising music and stunning visuals, Stan Dart will take the audience on a journey to outer space and show that there is a connection to the cosmos that defies explanation and cannot be fully grasped. Inspired by icons like Jean Michel Jarre, Vangelis and Kitaro, Stan Dart composes electronic dreams and weaves stories about space. The creativity and the research that combine to make his music are meticulous and magnetising. Accompanied by cosmic visuals, Mare Stellaris features a soundtrack that Dart, an ESO Music Ambassador, composed especially for the opening of the new ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre. The performance, which will be in German, is free of charge and is aimed at the general public, including children over ...

4 May 2018: Have you ever wondered whether the colours in astronomical images are real? Have you thought about what makes the Hubble Space Telescope’s images so striking? Join us at the ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre for an engaging free public talk aimed at audiences of all ages that answers these fascinating questions. At ESO we are proud to have produced many of Hubble’s images for ESA over the past 18 years. Presented by Lars Lindberg Christensen, head of ESO’s education and Public Outreach Department, this talk sheds light on the complex and interesting story behind Hubble’s beautiful astronomical images. Lars will discuss how Hubble images are produced, how ESO plays a role in processing these images, and why Hubble’s spectacular images are much more than just documentary photos of objects and phenomena in space. The public talk Behind Hubble’s Images will be held in the state-of-the art planetarium at the ...

30 April 2018: On Friday 11 May at 19:00 CEST, a public talk — Massive Black Holes and Galaxies — will be presented at the ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre. Join us to find out about how astronomers detect the existence of black holes, and what the latest measurements of black holes tell us about how and when these mysterious objects were formed. Since the discovery of quasars about 50 years ago, research has increasingly been hinting that a supermassive black holes resides in the centre of almost every galaxy. High-resolution measurements at infrared and radio wavelengths have made it possible to find convincing evidence for the existence of such a black hole in the centre of the Milky Way. Those measurements have also yielded new and unexpected information about the dense star cluster in the immediate vicinity of the black hole. New developments in infrared instrumentation and the adaptive optics of ...