Communiqué de presse

"Future Astronomers of Europe"

ESO's Contribution to the European Week for Scientific Culture

22 juin 1993

ESO's Contribution to the European Week for Scientific Culture The European Southern Observatory is pleased to announce the launch of its new programme "Future Astronomers of Europe". It is organised in conjunction with the European Week for Scientific Culture (November 22 -27, 1993), with support from the Commission of the European Communities.

The main event of the ESO programme is a series of national essay contests among secondary school pupils who expect to obtain their baccalaureate in 1994 or 1995. The contests will take place this autumn in seventeen European countries and in Chile.

The subject of all contests is "An Observing Night with the ESO Very Large Telescope".

The participants are requested to describe an astronomical research programme of their choice that they would like to carry out with this optical telescope which will be the world's largest when it is ready in the year 2000. No boundaries are set for the curiosity and phantasy of the "future astronomers" of Europe and the organisers look forward to receive a lot of exciting, imaginative entries.

The first prizes are extraordinary: the eighteen winners will get a two-week stay at ESO, including the possibility to perform real astronomical observations at the ESO La Silla observatory in Chile.

The national contests

The national contests in 17 European countries (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom) will be arranged in September-October 1993. Because of its special relationship with Chile, ESO will also arrange a similar contest in that country. The exact timing of the contests will vary from country to country due to the different school calendars.

The practical arrangements are in the hands of national committees that have been set up in each of these countries and which comprise educators, scientists and ministerial representatives. A list of contact addresses is attached to this Press Release.

In each country, the national winners will be selected by a national jury. The prizes will be presented during national award ceremonies in the capitals, at the beginning of November 1993. The local media will receive full information directly from the national committees about these events in due time.

The first prizes

The 18 national winners of the 1st prizes will be invited to spend two weeks at ESO during the second half of November 1993. They will participate in a specially conceived programme which will be the dream of any young astronomy fan: it includes "complete immersion" in a professional research environment, with the opportunity to travel to a remote observatory and to perform observations with one of the world's best astronomical telescopes. The participants will be part of a multi-national group of young people with a common interest for astronomy, but with very different backgrounds, thus providing plenty of opportunities for cultural enrichment. As far as the time permits, an interesting social programme will also be arranged.

The participants will first travel from their home towns to the ESO Headquarters in Garching near Munich (Germany). Here, they will receive preliminary instructions from professional European astronomers, which will enable them to prepare ail observational research programme in all details. Next, they will travel together to the ESO La Silla observatory in Chile, where they will perform real astronomical observations with a major telescope under the guidance of ESO astronomers. They will reduce, interpret and prepare the observations for publication. The participants will therefore experience the entire scientific process, from the conception of a research programme to the resulting new insights.

This unique event will be given full media coverage, also in the form of international press conferences before and after the trip to South America.

How to participate in the essay contest

More complete information about the essay contest and the exact deadlines for contributions can be obtained from the national committees. Participation forms, posters and other material will be available from the committees in late July 1993 to all secondary schools in the mentioned countries.

Plus d'informations

The National Committees

Further information about the "Future Astronomers of Europe" programme may be obtained from the National Committees at the following addresses:

Austria: Prof. H. Mucke, Planetarium der Stadt Wien, Oswald Thomas Platz 1, Vienna 2 - Tel. +43-222-249432, Fax +43-222-8893541

Belgium: Dr C. Sterken, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Campus Of en plein, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels - Tel. +32-2-6413469, Fax +32-2-6413495

Chile: ESO "Future Astronomers" Programme, European Southern Observatory, Alonso de Cordova 3107, Vitacura, Casilla 19001, Santiago 19 - Tel. +56-2-2285006, Fax +56-2-2285006

Denmark: Mr B. F. Jørgensen, Tycho Brahe Planetariet, Gl.Kongevej 10, DK-1610 Copenhagen V - Tel. +45-33-144888, Fax +45-33-142888

Finland: Mr M. Hotakainen, Tahtitieteellinen Yhdistys Ursa Ry, Laivanvarustajankatu 3, SF-00140 Helsinki - Tel. +358-02247187, Fax +358-0657728

France: Mr B. Pellequer, Geospace d'Aniane, Boite Postale 22, F-34150 Aniane - Tel. +33-6-7034949, Fax +33-6-7752864

Germany: Dr H.-U. Keller, Planetarium Stuttgart, Neckarstrasse 47, D-70173 Stuttgart - Tel. +49-711-162920, Fax +49-711-2163912

Greece: Dr D. Simopoulos, Eugenides Foundation, Astronomy Department, 387 Sygrou Avenue, Palaio Faliro, GR-175 64 Athens - Tel. +30-1-941-1181, Fax +30-1-941-7372

Ireland: Dr T. Ray, Institute for Advanced Studies, 5 Merrion Square, Dublin 2 - Tel. +353-1-6621333, Fax +353-1-6621477

Italy: Dr B. Monsignori-Fossi, Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri, Largo Enrico Fermi 5, 1-50125 Florence - Tel. +39-55-2752246, Fax +39-55-220039

Luxemburg: Dr Jeannot Hansen, Ministere de l'Education Nationale, 29 Rue Aldringen, L-1926 Luxemburg - Tel. +352-4781, Fax +352-4785130

The Netherlands: Dr P. Wisse, Museon, Stadthouderslaan 41, NL-2517 The Hague - Tel. +31-70-3381338, Fax +31-70-3541820

Norway: Prof Jan-Erik Solheim, IMR, Nordlysobservatoriet, Universitetet i Tromsø, N-9037 Tromsø - Tel. +47-83-45150, Fax +47-83-89852

Portugal: Dr T. Lago, Centro de Astrofisico, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 823, P-4100 Porto - Tel. +351-2-6001672, Fax +351-2-6003654

Spain: Mrs A. Sanchez, Planetario de Madrid, Parque Tierno Galvan, E-28045 Madrid - Tel. +34-1-4673898, Fax +34-1-4681154

Sweden: Dr Aa. Sandquist, Stockholms Observatorium, S-133 36 Saltsjobaden - Tel. +46-8-164447, Fax +46-8-7174719

Switzerland: Mr M. Wieland, Schweizer Jugend Forscht/La Science Appelle les Jeunes, Technoramastrasse 1,CH-8404 Winterthur - Tel. +41-52-2424440, Fax +41-52-2422967

United Kingdom: Dr P. Moore, Farthings, West Street, Selsey, Sussex, England - Tel. +44-24-3603668, Fax +44-24-3607237

Contacts

Richard West
ESO EPR Dept
Garching, Germany
Courriel: information@eso.org

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