Call for Observation Time on Optical Telescopes Now Open
The Europlanet Telescope Network is cooperating with the OPTICON Alliance to support access to optical facilities. Observers from the planetary community are encouraged to apply.
Optical call for proposals 2026A
We are pleased to announce that the OPTICON 2026A call for proposals is now open, with observing time available on the participating facilities.
As the number of participating facilities in this call is limited, applicants are also encouraged to check the relevant telescope or observatory website in case any facility requires specific additional information. Applicants may request observing time on multiple facilities through a single proposal. Late applications will not be considered. Please note that, for this call, applications are invited from the international community excluding USA-based observers. It is expected that future calls will broaden eligibility to include USA-based observers. Applicants submitting a proposal will be expected to provide feedback on at least one anonymised proposal as part of the review process.
Note: TBL and Aristarchos facilities will be available for future calls, but are currently in the process of being upgraded. Please also consider the BHTOM network of telescopes for time-domain observations.
The call for proposals will close on April 17th 2026 at UT 23:59.
New Year’s Day 2026 is Europlanet’s 21st birthday. To celebrate, we highlight 21 things that Europlanet has achieved since its foundation on 1 January 2005.
The Europlanet Science Congress
Opening ceremony of EPSC-DPS2025. Credit: Europlanet.
First held in Berlin in 2006, the Europlanet Science Congress (EPSC) is the largest annual meeting on planetary science in Europe and regularly attracts over 1200 participants. Its interdisciplinary, interactive and adaptive format makes EPSC an ideal place for the global planetary community to share ideas and build new connections. Joint meetings with the American Astronomical Society’s Division of Planetary Sciences (DPS) and the European Astrobiology Network Association (EANA) have brought together even bigger international and cross-disciplinary audiences, with the recent EPSC-DPS2025 in Helskinki becoming the largest planetary meeting to date in Europe with 1800 participants.
Research and Technology Infrastructure
The Laboratory of Electron Induced Fluorescence at Comenius University. Credit: Comenius University.
Europlanet provides access to state-of-the-art research and technology infrastructure (RTI) to support planetary science and space exploration. The distributed RTI includes facilities for the simulation of planetary environments, analysis of planetary samples, testing and development of space technologies, and support of interdisciplinary studies. Our Transnational Access (TA) programme is designed to allow researchers from anywhere in the world, and at all career stages, to have access to facilities to support scientific and technological excellence in planetary/space research and to foster international collaborations. To date, Europlanet has funded over 600 research visits, amounting to in excess of 5,500 days of access (15 years), involving over 800 individual researchers accessing 23 laboratories (with over 80 individual facilities), 12 planetary analogue field sites and 17 telescopes.
Europlanet is a grass-roots organisation, supported by individual members since 2018 and organisational members since 2025. Membership benefits include discounted fees for EPSC, access to facilities, expert exchanges, webinars, training, workshops, funding schemes and much more. Join now to help us continue our mission to support the planetary community around the world.
Participants at EPEC Annual Week 2025. Credit: EPEC.
The Europlanet Early Career (EPEC) network is organised by early-career researchers for early-career researchers, and includes volunteers from across the Europlanet international community. The EPEC network is open to all students, doctoral candidates and early-career planetary scientists and space professionals whose last degree (e.g. MSc or PhD) was obtained a maximum of 7 years ago (excluding parental leave, serious illness and similar delays).
EPEC’s activities, including Annual Week and EPEC@EPSC, aim to form a strong network between young professionals by organising early-career-relevant events and by engaging in different projects amongst different focus areas (outreach, diversity, early career support). As early careers comprise over half Europlanet’s individual members and attendees at EPSC, EPEC ensures that the (scientifically) young members of our community have a clear voice within Europlanet to shape the future of planetary and space sciences and engineering.
The launch of the Europlanet Colombia Regional Hub in November 2025. Credit: Europlanet Colombia.
Europlanet’s Regional Hubs support the development of planetary science at a national and regional level, particularly in countries and areas that are currently under-represented within the community. Our Hub Committees organise networking events and workshops to support the research community, as well as to build links with amateur astronomers, industrial partners, policymakers, educators, the media and the wider public. In addition to 10 European Regional Hubs, a Colombian Regional Hub was established in 2025 to support the community in Colombia and Latin America.
Projects
The launch of the European Planetology Network (EuroPlaNet) in 2005. Credit: Europlanet.
Europlanet was founded as a Coordination Action funded by the European Commission (EC) in 2005-2008 to promote networking, support the sharing of resources and overcome fragmentation in the European planetary science community. Through a series of further EC grants awarded between 2009 and 2024, Europlanet has subsequently developed into a global distributed research infrastructure that offers coordinated access to services and facilities spread over 5 continents, supporting a community of thousands of users in academia, industry and in the wider community. In total, the EC has invested €28 million in Europlanet to support the planetary community.
Europlanet has received funding from the European Commission under Grant Numbers 871149, 654208, 228319 and RICA-CT-2004-001637.
VESPA
Superimposed olivine map from OMEGA / Mars-Express in N Syrtis Major area (Jezero crater is at the bottom), displayed in the Aladin service and accessed through VESPA. Credit: Aladin.
VESPA (Virtual European Solar and Planetary Access) is a web-based search interface to identify and access planetary science and heliophysics data provided by the science community. Developed through EC-funded Europlanet projects, and hosted and maintained by the Observatory of Paris, VESPA is freely available to researchers and the general public. The VESPA portal supports user-friendly searching on metadata associated with generic observation conditions (such as target, instrument, time/space/spectral coverages, illumination conditions, etc) and metadata specific to each dataset (such as instrumental parameters) via the EPN-TAP protocol, which is now a standard of the International Virtual Observatory Alliance (IVOA) for Solar system data. Nearly 250 EPN-TAP data services of various size are declared in the IVOA registry, of which 94 are currently validated and accessible via the portal – including ESA’s Planetary Science Archive (PSA). VESPA also offers an easy solution for small teams to share newly-derived data from a publication or a research project.
SPIDER
Europlanet’s SPIDER Planetary Space Weather Services provide contextual information on predictions and alerts for planetary space weather analysis and payload or spacecraft operations. SPIDER enables researchers to take advantage of data from a suite of missions at different points in the Solar System. Applications of SPIDER’s tools have led to several high-impact publications, and have been used to support planning of the BepiColombo and Juice missions. Opportunities identified through SPIDER for synergistic observations by BepiColombo during its cruise phase with the Solar Orbiter and Solar Parker Probe missions have also been implemented by ESA and JAXA.
GMAP and Winter School
GMAP Winter School Banner 2026.
The Geological Mapping (GMAP) activity provides a complete infrastructure for the geological mapping of planetary bodies. As well as everything needed to create planetary maps, GMAP provides guidelines and insights on how to produce effective mapping products for scientific exploitation, as well as information on how to display and archive results in a structured way.
GMAP supports researchers who are interested in learning how to build their own mapping products, as well as mappers who want to learn how to incorporate other types of data analysis into their products.
One of GMAP’s major successes has been the establishment of the annual Geology & Planetary Mapping Winter School. Now in its fifth iteration, the Winter School provides training for anyone interested in planetary mapping to build knowledge and skills in planetary mapping. Participants can follow synchronously or asynchronously to accommodate different time zones. The 2026 edition will run from 26-30 January 2026.
Amateur astronomer, Florence Libotte (centre) with astronomers Erika Pakštienė (left) and Gražina Tautvaišienė (right) at the Moletai Observatory, Lithuania.
The Europlanet Telescope Network brings together medium and small telescopes to facilitate and coordinate observations related to planetary science. Founded in 2020, the telescope network has awarded 256.5 observing nights and supported 44 projects on planetary topics from near Earth objects to exoplanets, as well as astrophysical subjects including black holes and binary star systems. As well as supporting the professional scientific community, the Europlanet telescope Network has provided access and training for amateur astronomers to enable them to contribute to planetary research. Since the end of the EC-funded project, the Europlanet Telescope Network has maintained a list of telescopes willing to offer observing time to the community. The Europlanet Telescope Network currently unites 21 observatories with 32 telescopes in 16 countries.
Europlanet holds monthly webinars on a range of topics from science to policy, diversity and outreach. Quarterly webinars are also co-organised with the Science Team of the ESA Juice mission.
Europlanet webinars provide quarterly updates on the JUICE mission on its long journey to reach and explore Jupiter and its icy moons. Credit: ESA/ATG medialab/NASA/JPL/J Nichols/U Leicester/U Arizona/DLR.
Group photo of in-person participants at ERIM 2023 in Bratislava, Slovakia. Credit: Europlanet/J-D Bodénan.
In addition to EPSC and EPEC Annual Week, Europlanet organises a range of meetings, summer schools, workshops and training sessions to support the community. Our interactive online Teams Days, held 2-3 times per year, are an opportunity for the community to provide input and feedback into Europlanet’s strategy and operations. The Europlanet Research Infrastructure Meeting (ERIM) in 2023 comprised a series of interactive workshops with the aim of promoting collaboration across the Europlanet community. More recently, policy workshops organised in partnership with other research infrastructures have helped share information on upcoming opportunities and best practice for distributed RIs.
In total, over the past two decades, Europlanet has provided training for over 7,500 members of the planetary community, with a particular focus on early career researchers.
Join hundreds of other Europlanet members on our Discord server to keep up with news, events, job opportunities and to connect with colleagues around the world. The server is designed with a variety of channels to facilitate discussions and interactions, including text channels, discussion forums and voice channels. We also hold regular informal catch ups and science discussion ‘hangouts’.
Europlanet is committed to building a diverse, inclusive planetary science and ensuring that individuals within that community experience equal opportunity, regardless of gender, disability, ethnic origin, religion or belief, sexual orientation, marital status, age, nationality or socioeconomic background. The Europlanet Diversity Committee acts as a strategic task force to advise, coordinate and champion activities across Europlanet that further the association’s commitment to equality, diversity and inclusivity. As well as activities around EPSC, the Diversity Committee organises events to raise awareness of diversity, inclusivity and accessibility in the planetary community, such as through the Planetary Science Wiki Edit-a-thon.
Outreach
Outreach and education have been a core part of Europlanet initiatives since its foundation the early 2000s. Our objective is to support the planetary science community at a grass roots level to do more public engagement and educational activities, and to share best practice, training and resources to increase the impact of those efforts. Over 20 public engagement and education projects have been supported with more than 135,000€ of seed funding by Europlanet.
The Outreach Working Group coordinates activities, such as EPSC Goes Live for Schools, funding programmes, sharing of best practice and the annual prize for Public Engagement.
Policy and Industry
Europlanet exhibition in the European Parliament. Credit: Europlanet.
Europlanet engagement with policy makers and industry aim to build collaborations and create synergies between cutting-edge science and the technological challenges of planetary science and exploration.
Europlanet has organised and participated in briefings, events, conference sessions (e.g. at EPSC) and other opportunities to engage policy makers in the European Parliament and the European Commission with planetary science, as well as engage with high-level representatives of ESA, NASA and other national and international space agencies. Organising events within the European Parliament has proved an effective platform to develop relationships with MEPs and other stakeholders, enabling the community to feed into discussions on future funding and policies relevant to planetary science.
Industry engagement activities have included organising technology foresight workshops, collaborations with space industry trade associations, developing contacts and networks within industry, participating in industry conferences and events, and convening industry and policy sessions at EPSC.
Europlanet’s distributed infrastructure offers industrial partners access to simulation and testing facilities for a range of environments that planetary and space missions may encounter through launch to their destination in orbit or on a planetary surface. By accessing Europlanet facilities, companies and SMEs can increase the value of their technology by increasing the Technology Readiness Level (TRL), understanding how instrumentation operates under realistic planetary conditions, or by identifying potential issues. Several of our RTI facilities are operated by commercial organisations.
Collaborations
Collaborations stimulated through Europlanet, and involving its beneficiaries, have led to several successful proposals for new projects funded through the European Commission and national agencies. From the development of Machine Learning tools to mobilising researchers in Africa, these external projects act as multipliers for the impact of Europlanet in many different communities.
Expert Exchanges
Expert exchange to observing the DART impact in Kenya. Credit: The Travelling Telescope.
Europlanet’s Expert Exchange Programme aims to support the mobilisation of the planetary community to share expertise and best practice and to prepare new facilities and services for integration into Europlanet’s research infrastructure. The programme provides funding for short visits (up to one week) and over the last two decades, more than 200 expert exchanges have been supported.
Topics for visits have included training on the use of instrumentation, short scientific projects, improvements to facilities and the development of outreach collaborations. Evaluation of the visits show that bringing individuals together to exchange expertise often leading to synergies that would not happen otherwise, particularly for researchers from under-represented countries. The programme has also supported the professional development of early career scientists, helping them to prepare for careers outside academia.
Tactile Mars exhibit from the Planets in Your Hand exhibition funded by Europlanet in 2017. Credit: Kosmas Gazeas.
Europlanet offers funding and bursaries to support the community in various ways. Each year, we provide over 100 bursaries for early career and researchers from under-represented countries to attend EPSC. The Committee Funding Scheme offers grants of up to 5000 € to support the scientific, community-building and outreach activities of our members.
Europlanet recognises the contributions of the planetary science community through a range of medals, prizes and other awards. The Europlanet Medals, launched in 2025, honour outstanding contributions from individuals of three different scientific career-stages to the subjects covered by the Europlanet Science Congress (EPSC). The Europlanet Prize for Public Engagement with Planetary Science is also awarded to individuals or groups who have developed innovative and socially impactful practices in planetary science communication and education. The EPSC Outstanding Poster Competition recognises the work of early career researchers at EPSC.
Impact
Fernando Gomez from Argentina participated in a Transnational Access visit to facilities at the Korean Basic Science Institute (KBSI). Credit: F Gomez.
Europlanet activities are evaluated against a framework of core indicators for assessing scientific, technological, education and training, economic, and social and societal impacts. Evaluation shows that the impact of activities to date have been particularly strong in the scientific, technological, education and training areas.
The 197 Transnational Access projects supported through the most-recent Europlanet 2024 RI project are expected to lead to over 300 publications and 400 conference presentations. Interviews and follow-up surveys show that over 90% of visitors are planning future collaborations with their host facility. In particular, early career researchers and students report that the TA programme provides them with opportunities – including collaboration and network-building – that would not otherwise have been available to them, thus accelerating their career development.
Upgrades to facilities have provided increasing support for local infrastructure and associated employment, and there has been at least one SME company that was developed as a result of the TA programme.
The new Europlanet Evaluation Unit now offers evaluation support and consultancy for external organisations that would like to develop an evaluation framework or implement an impact evaluation of their activities.
Teamwork
Europlanet’s existence and continued activities would not be possible without the support of many individuals and organisations. In particular, we would like to thank our Executive Board, Committees and Working Groups for their huge investment of time and energy in making Europlanet a thriving and vibrant community. We thank our individual and organisational members for supporting us and participating in our activities. We are also indebted to the European Commission for funding over the years, as well as our project officers at the EC for their support, guidance and advice.
Europlanet 2024 RI has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 871149.
‘Impact, Industry Engagement, Research Security and Dual Use’ Workshop at Industriens Hus, Copenhagen
Around 30 representatives of a diverse range of research infrastructures gathered at Industriens Hus, Copenhagen, Denmark and online from 20 – 21 October 2025 for a hybrid workshop ahead of the Research and Technology Infrastructures (RTI) Summit 2025.
The meeting, which was co-organised by Aarhus University, the European Science Foundation and Europlanet, included a workshop on impact evaluation. Presentations and discussions covered industry engagement, research security and Dual Use, as well as upcoming opportunities within Horizon Europe and an update on a new journal focused on RIs.
The session also included an update on a White Paper on Distributed Research Infrastructures, which was discussed at the previous workshop in Krakow in June 2025. The title of the White Paper has been updated to: ‘Towards an Inclusive Framework for Europe’s Research Infrastructures: Embracing diversity in form, theme, and scale.’
In line with feedback from the Krakow meeting, additional adjustments have been made to reflect that issues in visibility in European RI policy for many RIs do not specifically originate from the size but more from the form and the prioritisation of the ESFRI Roadmap RIs and ERICs. The White Paper concludes that: ‘A resilient, adaptable, and dynamic research ecosystem requires strategic support for all RIs.’ The new version has been submitted to the European publication platform Open Research Europe (ORE) for final review.
Images
Presentations
Horizon Europe Updates – Nigel Mason (Europlanet / University of Kent)
‘Roadmapping Distributed Research Infrastructures in Europe’ Workshop at SOLARIS, Krakow
Around 30 representatives of a diverse range of research infrastructures gathered at SOLARIS in Krakow, Poland, from 9 – 10 June 2025 for a workshop ahead of the 92nd European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) and the 3rd ESFRI Stakeholder Forum Meetup.
The meeting, which was co-organised by the European Science Foundation, SOLARIS and Europlanet, covered a broad spectrum of aspects on the role of distributed RIs within the European research landscape, as well as challenges and opportunities for laboratories and facilities in those parts of Europe where currently there are fewer RIs.
A key part of the discussion was a draft White Paper on ‘The role and importance of small to medium-sized Distributed Research Infrastructures (DRI) in sustaining European research competitiveness‘. The comments shared during the workshop and beforehand will help guide a light revision of the white paper, retaining the main argument, but sharpening the focus and to better define the boundaries of the commentary. The current version is already available on the European publication platform Open Research Europe (ORE). The new version will be uploaded before the end of June, with the aim of finalising and publishing the updated paper before the end of the year.
We need to make sure we haven’t dropped the ball on anything Europlanet-commuity related for EPSC (e.g. stand, posters, splinters etc)
Presentations also covered upcoming opportunities within Horizon Europe, evaluation of the impact of RIs, perspectives on widening participation, and a new journal focused on RIs. Participants were given a tour of the SOLARIS facility.
Many thanks to Marcin Sikora, Michal Mlynarczyk, Michał Tyrpuła and Joanna Kowalik for their kind welcome to SOLARIS.
Europlanet 2024 RI’s Expert Exchange Programme aims to support the planetary community to share expertise and best practice, and to prepare new facilities and services. The programme provides funding for short visits (up to one week).
Colin Clarke of Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, visited the Travelling Telescope Team in Kenya from 04-14 June 2023.
Image credits: Colin Clarke
During my recent visit as part of the Europlanet Expert Exchange programme, I was closely involved in an array of enriching activities with the Travelling Telescope, contributing meaningfully to their ongoing mission of increasing accessibility to astronomy and science education in Africa. This amazing experience provided me the opportunity to share my skills and expertise while learning and understanding the unique challenges and opportunities the Travelling Telescope encounters in pursuit of its beautiful mission.
The Nairobi Planetarium, a place of learning and intrigue, was one of the first sites where I lent my assistance. I actively participated in several shows, engaging with the audience, sharing insights, and enhancing the overall visitor experience. The sheer joy and wonder on the faces of the attendees was testament to the power of interactive science education, and the impact of the Travelling Telescope’s initiatives.
I partook in the activities relating to the Mobile Planetarium; an inflatable, portable planetarium, bringing the stars to two different schools. Assisting with these shows, I witnessed first-hand the enthusiasm and curiosity kindled in young minds that might not otherwise have had this opportunity. This sparked discussions on further increasing the reach of such initiatives.
This exchange programme also gave me the chance to contribute to the Travelling Telescope’s work in Kibera, the largest slum in Africa. Here, I assisted with the deliverance of Airbus’ Little Engineers robotics programme, demonstrating that the wonders of science and technology are not confined by socio-economic circumstances. Seeing the determination, innovation, and interest shown by the children was a truly humbling and enlightening experience.
Innovation and sustainability are a big part of the Travelling Telescope’s initiatives. I saw this first hand when working on their upcoming project, a mobile outdoor bamboo planetarium. I had the privilege of participating in the design and research related to this project. By solving mathematical problems relating to the construction of geodesic domes and aiding in its conceptualisation, I helped contribute to this eco-friendly and scalable solution, which will enable the Travelling Telescope to reach even more schools.
In addition, I was able to share my knowledge of astronomy at the Travelling Telescope’s SkySchool. Teaching enthusiastic learners, and capturing their engagement in activities such as art and football, provided a unique perspective on how versatile and inclusive the learning of astronomy can be. It showcased the potential of astronomy education to transcend traditional classroom boundaries, fostering critical thinking and a sense of wonder.
The interactions and experiences from this Europlanet Expert Exchange visit have not only been personally fulfilling but I hope have also provided valuable insights into the tremendous impact organisations like the Travelling Telescope are making. Thank you once again to everyone involved for making this possible.
As the Europlanet 2024 Research Infrastructure (RI) comes to an end, the Project Coordinator Prof Nigel Mason reflects on the highlights, achievements and outcomes of the last 4.5 years, and looks forward to the next steps for Europlanet.
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
31st July marked the end of the Europlanet 2024 Research Infrastructure (RI) and, with it, the completion of a series of EC-funded projects over the course of some twenty years. Europlanet 2024 RI was built upon a rich heritage of Transnational Access programmes, Virtual Access services (most notably the VESPA and SPIDER platforms) and networking activities, but has advanced the field and community still further with:
The initiation of the Europlanet Telescope Network.
The inclusion of geological mapping and machine learning tools and services.
Extended international collaborations with partners in Africa, South America and Korea.
Strategic investment in upgrades to facilities to better-simulate and understand diverse and extreme planetary environments.
During Europlanet 2024 RI, we have provided services that have allowed the European planetary science community to continue to lead the world in pioneering research. We have supported over 300 researchers in their visits and research while providing access to a vast array of databases and tools for planetary and space science research through our Virtual Access programmes. We have been integral to more than 230 publications, and there are many more to come!
I contend that today it is almost impossible to view European planetary science without the presence of Europlanet. The annual Europlanet Science Congress (EPSC) regularly attracts over 1200 delegates and has grown to become the recognised European meeting point of the planetary community. The Europlanet Early Career (EPEC) network supports the next generation of researchers, who will become the PIs of future missions! Europlanet is referenced in the strategic landscape analysis for European research infrastructures.
Throughout Europlanet 2024 RI, we have been planning for the sustainability of the Europlanet portfolio to ensure that twenty years of research and community work will continue into its third decade. I am therefore delighted to announce that, although Europlanet 2024 RI ends today, Europlanet is ready to continue its work and ambition.
Last year, we set up a not-for-profit association (Europlanet AISBL) that means we now have the legal structure in place to operate sustainably. In September 2024, we will be launching a new membership programme for organisations, in addition to the individual membership programmes we have been running since 2018. This new funding model will enable us to carry on our core activities, including:
Mobility programmes, with access to facilities, telescopes and expert exchanges.
Training and mentoring of early career planetary scientists and the wider community, including the Planetary Mapping Winter School.
Support for the community at a grass-roots level through travel bursaries, prizes and small grants.
Sustaining and growing our community through EPSC, strategic partnerships and other activities in all regions of Europe and internationally.
Ensuring the voice of the planetary science community is heard in important strategic fora in Europe and internationally.
An exciting aspect of moving beyond the EC-funded project is that we are not limited to a fixed set of beneficiaries. Henceforth, Europlanet is open to everyone, so any laboratory or research group working in the field will be able to join. With over 200 planetary-related organisations in Europe alone, that is already a sizeable pool of potential members — for a fee that is typically less than one open-access publication charge!
When organisational membership opens at EPSC, I would suggest that each of you ask your institution to join for at least one-year with a small amount from your project overheads to ensure that you are able to ensure your own legacy of Europlanet 2024 RI post-project. And, of course, we encourage you all to join as individual members. It is a small amount to support Europlanet, which is your community, designed and created through all your efforts.
A summary of our plans for Europlanet Beyond 2024 is online now, and further details will be circulated over the summer for discussion at EPSC and our final Council meeting. In the meantime, I wish to end with many thank yous:
Thank you to the Europlanet 2024 RI Consortium for the constant camaraderie and team spirit – we worked through the Covid-19 pandemic, and all the subsequent issues and changes we had to make, to deliver everything we had promised despite the challenges.
Thank you for the enthusiasm and dedication with which everyone addressed all the Europlanet 2024 RI tasks.
Thank you for delivering a truly extraordinary set of scientific and technical results that have ensured our community is at the forefront of one of the greatest endeavours of humanity – exploring our Solar System and beyond.
While everyone involved has played an essential part in Europlanet 2024 RI’s success I would like to express particular thanks to the Europlanet Office team:
Susmita Datta, without whom we would never have been able to run this project and secure Europlanet’s future. Her efforts for all of us were (and are) remarkable, not least in engaging with the Commission so tirelessly and ensuring all their staff were supportive of our many requests. She will be chasing us for those final reports to be presented at the final Council meeting in Berlin.
Anita Heward, who has lived Europlanet almost since its inception in 2004 and through whom so much of the recognition of Europlanet beyond our own community has been achieved. Europlanet 2024 RI is just one part of her ‘lifetime work’ for Europlanet community.
Alicia Barron, Zofia Kicinova and Rosemary Stevens for their inexhaustible work on the complexity of the project finances (Rosemary will be pestering you for your financial reports now).
Callum Piper, for whom this was his first full-time employment and who has taken on any task we have thrown at him. Note that Callum will continue to work with us and will be your main contact point in the new future of Europlanet.
Finally, to the whole Europlanet 2024 RI team, a personal thank you for making the last years ones in which I felt I was amongst a remarkable group of people who have made a significant impact in both science and the community. It has truly been a pleasure and privilege to be the coordinator of Europlanet 2024 RI which I will always look back upon as a highlight not only of my career but my life.
And now we move on into those ‘sunlight uplands’ not only on the Earth but all those other planets and moons out there…
In dieser Lektion befassen wir uns mit dem pH-Wert bestimmter Umgebungen auf dem Mars und damit, wie sich dies auf seine potenzielle Bewohnbarkeit auswirken kann.
Zur Erinnerung: Lehrernotizen, Präsentationen und alle Inhalte können zur Anpassung und Verwendung in Ihrem Klassenzimmer heruntergeladen werden. Vergessen Sie nur nicht, uns als Quelle anzugeben (siehe “Nutzung der Ressourcen”).
Übersicht
Altersgruppe:
10-14
Benötigte Ausrüstung:
Computer
Projektor
Zeit der Lektion:
45 Minuten (einschließlich 1 Video)
Behandelte Themen:
Chemie (pH)
Biologie (Leben in Extremen)
Astronomie (Mars-Oberflächenbedingungen).
Lernergebnisse:
Gliederung der Aktivität: Verstehen, wie der pH-Wert des Mars die Bewohnbarkeit des Roten Planeten beeinflussen kann.
Nach Abschluss dieser Aktivität können die SchülerInnen:
Verstehen der pH-Skala.
Beschreiben Sie, wie Faktoren auf dem Mars den pH-Wert beeinflussen können.
Diskutieren Sie, wie der pH-Wert die Bewohnbarkeit beeinflusst.
Hintergrundmaterial:
Was ist der pH-Wert?
Aber bevor wir auf die Auswirkungen des pH-Werts eingehen, kann uns jemand erklären, was mit pH-Wert gemeint ist?
(Antworten nehmen)Mit dem pH-Wert messen wir den Säuregrad und die Alkalität. Basen und Säuren werden als chemische Gegensätze betrachtet, da die Wirkung einer Säure darin besteht, die Hydroniumkonzentration (H O3+ ) im Wasser zu erhöhen, während Basen diese Konzentration verringern. Eine Reaktion zwischen wässrigen Lösungen einer Säure und einer Base wird als Neutralisation bezeichnet, wobei eine Lösung aus Wasser und einem Salz entsteht, in der sich das Salz in seine einzelnen Ionen aufspaltet. Wenn die wässrige Lösung mit einem bestimmten gelösten Salz gesättigt ist, fällt jedes weitere Salz aus der Lösung aus.
pH-Skala
Der pH-Wert wird in der Regel anhand der pH-Skala gemessen. Verbindungen mit niedrigem pH-Wert sind sauer, was von einer starken Säure bei pH 1 bis zu einer schwachen Säure bei pH 6 reicht. pH 7 gilt als neutral und ein pH-Wert darüber ist basisch, von pH 8 bis 14.
Diskutieren Sie, wie Ihrer Meinung nach der pH-Wert auf dem Mars sein könnte?
Jetzt, da Sie einige Hintergrundinformationen haben, was würden Sie erwarten, dass der durchschnittliche pH-Wert auf dem Mars ist?
(Antworten nehmen)
Wie können wir den pH-Wert feststellen?
Um dies zu wissen, müssen wir zunächst in der Lage sein, den pH-Wert zu bestimmen. Wie können wir das tun?
(Antworten nehmen)
pH-Skalen sind oft farbig. Dies ist auf die übliche Verwendung einer Lösung zurückzuführen, die Universalindikator genannt wird und zur Anzeige des pH-Werts ihre Farbe ändert. Bei Anwesenheit einer Säure färbt er sich rot, bei neutralem pH-Wert wird die Lösung grün und bei Anwesenheit einer Base tiefblau/violett. Es gibt jedoch auch andere Indikatoren wie Phenolphthalein, das sich in Gegenwart einer Base rosa färbt und bei einer Säure keine Farbänderung zeigt. pH-Indikatoren finden sich sogar häufig in der Küche – wie der Saft eines Rotkohls, der sich in Gegenwart einer Base blau-grün und bei einer Säure rosa färbt.
Video: Erkennung des pH-Wertes
Hier haben wir ein Video, das den Farbwechsel einer Lösung bei Verwendung eines Universalindikators zeigt:
Hintergrundinformationen zum Video: In diesem Video wird eine Lösung von schwach konzentriertem Natriumhydroxid (NaOH) gezeigt. Universalindikatorlösung wird hinzugefügt, die die Lösung violett färbt. Anschließend wird eine 5%ige Essigsäurelösung in Form von handelsüblichem weißem Kochessig zugegeben. Die Lösung mit dem Universalindikator färbt sich rot.
Was ist passiert? Warum?
Bitte diskutieren Sie in Gruppen, was Sie in diesem Video beobachtet haben. Warum, glaubt ihr, ist das passiert?
(Zeit für Gruppendiskussion einplanen)
(Antworten nehmen)
Rio Tinto Fluss
Es gibt auf der Erde Gebiete mit extremen pH-Werten. Ein solcher Ort ist der Fluss Rio Tinto in Spanien. Der pH-Wert des Rio Tinto erreicht in einigen Bereichen des Flusses einen Wert von bis zu 2,3, was zeigt, dass diese Umgebung sehr sauer ist. Dieser niedrige pH-Wert wird durch Wechselwirkungen zwischen Gestein und Mikroorganismen im Fluss verursacht, die als Gesteins-Wasser-Biologie-Wechselwirkungen bekannt sind. Dies führt dazu, dass große Mengen an Verbindungen wie Schwefelsäure, Sulfate und Eisen(III)-Eisen im Flusswasser vorhanden sind. Letzteres verleiht dem Rio Tinto seine charakteristische rote Färbung.
In dieser extremen Umgebung wurden sowohl eukaryotische als auch prokaryotische Organismen beobachtet, die unter den sauren Bedingungen gedeihen. Daher ist der Rio Tinto ein analoges Planetenfeld, das uns Aufschluss über die Aussichten auf Leben in extremen Umgebungen anderswo im Sonnensystem geben kann.
Wie wirkt sich CO2 auf den pH-Wert aus?
Zurück zum Mars: Die Marsatmosphäre besteht hauptsächlich aus Kohlendioxid, und an den Polen des Mars gibt es große Ablagerungen von festem Kohlendioxid.
Welche Auswirkung hat Kohlendioxid Ihrer Meinung nach auf den pH-Wert? Bitte diskutieren Sie in Gruppen.
(Zeit für Gruppendiskussion einplanen)
(Antworten nehmen)
Wenn Kohlendioxid in Wasser gelöst wird, entsteht Kohlensäure, die den pH-Wert auf dem Mars senkt. Kohlensäure ist etwas, dem viele Menschen täglich in Form von kohlensäurehaltigen Getränken begegnen. Wenn Sie jemals einen merkwürdigen Nachgeschmack in kohlensäurehaltigem Wasser bemerkt haben, ist dies auf das Vorhandensein von Kohlensäure zurückzuführen. Einer der Gründe, warum bei der Entwicklung von kohlensäurehaltigen Getränken so viel Zucker verwendet wird, besteht darin, genau diesen Geschmack zu überdecken.
Wie könnte sich dies auf die Bewohnbarkeit auswirken?
Wie würde sich Ihrer Meinung nach das Vorhandensein von Kohlensäure auf die mögliche Bewohnbarkeit des Mars auswirken? Bitte diskutieren Sie in Gruppen.
(Zeit für Gruppendiskussion einplanen)
(Antworten nehmen)
Rückblick
Nach dieser Lektion sollten die Schüler in der Lage sein, diese Fragen zu beantworten:
Was zeigt eine pH-Skala an?
Welche Faktoren auf dem Mars (früher oder heute) könnten den pH-Wert beeinflussen?
Wie könnte sich der pH-Wert auf die Bewohnbarkeit des Mars auswirken?
In dieser Lektion befassen wir uns mit der Entwicklung von Salzschichten und dem Potenzial für ihre Bewohnbarkeit.
Zur Erinnerung: Lehrernotizen, Präsentationen und alle Inhalte können zur Anpassung und Verwendung in Ihrem Klassenzimmer heruntergeladen werden. Vergessen Sie nur nicht, uns als Quelle anzugeben (siehe “Nutzung der Ressourcen”).
Übersicht
Altersgruppe:
10-14
Benötigte Ausrüstung:
Computer
Projektor
Zeit der Lektion:
45 Minuten (einschließlich 1 Video)
Behandelte Themen:
Chemie (Zustände der Materie)
Biologie (Leben in Extremen)
Astronomie (Mars-Oberflächenbedingungen).
Gliederung der Aktivität:
Verstehen Sie die Entstehung von Salzpfannen durch den Mechanismus der Verdunstung.
Lernergebnisse:
Nach Abschluss dieser Aktivität können die SchülerInnen:
Verdunstung kritisch hinterfragen
Die Zustände der Materie verstehen
Beschreiben, wie sich Salzgehalt und Austrocknung die Bewohnbarkeit einer Umgebung beeinflussen.
Hintergrundmaterial:
Verdunstung
Zunächst einmal müssen wir uns mit der Verdunstung befassen. Kann jemand erklären, was mit Verdunstung gemeint ist?
(Antworten nehmen)
Verunstung ist der Prozess, bei dem eine Flüssigkeit von einem flüssigen in einen gasförmigen Zustand übergeht. Dies kann viele Formen annehmen – das häufigste Beispiel ist ein Prozess, der oft als Lufttrocknung bezeichnet wird. Dies geschieht, indem Flüssigkeitsmoleküle an der Oberfläche in einen Dampf übergehen. Ein weiteres Beispiel ist das Sieden, das auftritt, wenn die Temperatur einer Flüssigkeit ihren Siedepunkt überschreitet (im Falle von Wasser ist dies 100 ⁰C). Wenn Wasser die Temperatur von 100 ⁰C überschreitet, wird es zu Dampf. Entgegen der landläufigen Meinung ist Dampf unsichtbar, und die Wolken, die man überkochendem Wasser sieht, sind in Wirklichkeit Wasserdampf, der wieder zu flüssigen Wassertröpfchenkondensiert.
Aggregatzustände der Materie
Wir haben bereits über die Idee der Materiezustände gesprochen, aber kann jemand erklären, was die Materiezustände sind?
(Antworten nehmen)
Ein fester Zustand behält seine Form bei. Seine Moleküle sind viel stärker strukturiert und haben nicht die verfügbare Energie, um sich frei zu bewegen. Bei den meisten Verbindungen ist der feste Zustanddie dichteste Form. Es gibt jedoch Ausnahmen von dieser Regel, z. B. Eis, das eine geringere Dichte hat als flüssiges Wasser. Dies ist auf seine molekulare Struktur als Festkörper zurückzuführen. Wenn eine Verbindung mehr Energie erhält und schmilzt, haben wir die flüssige Form einer Verbindung. Eine Flüssigkeit ist ein Fluid, das heißt, sie kann fließen und die Form ihres Behälters annehmen. Einige Flüssigkeiten können recht instabil sein, sie verdunsten leicht oder benötigen einen hohen Druck, um sich zu bilden, wie z. B. Kohlendioxid. Wenn ein Feststoff wie Kohlendioxid unter normalem Erddruck von einem Feststoff zu einem Gas wird, spricht man von Sublimation. Der letzte Aggregatzustand, der im Rahmen dieser Lektion behandelt wird, ist, wie bereits erwähnt, Gas. Gase sind wie Flüssigkeiten, fließfähig und füllen, je nach ihrer Dichte, den gesamten verfügbaren Raum aus.
MakgadikgadiSalzpfannen und Formation
Auf diesem Foto sehen wir die Makgadikgadi-Salzpfannen in Botswana. Dies ist eine riesige Salzfläche, die für die Erforschung der Mikrobiologie in salzreichen Gebieten sehr wertvoll geworden ist.
Diskutieren Sie, wie diese Umgebung entstanden ist
Diskutieren Sie in Gruppen, wie diese Umgebung entstanden sein könnte.
(Zeit für Gruppendiskussion einplanen)
(Antworten nehmen)
Video: Wie geschieht das?
Hier haben wir ein Video, das zeigt, wie sich eine Umgebung wie die Makgadikgadi-Salzpfannen gebildet haben könnte:
Hintergrundinformationen zum Video: In diesem Video haben wir eine gesättigte Lösung von Natriumchlorid (NaCl). Wenn das Wasser verdunstet, wird die Lösung übersättigt. Bei weiterer Verdampfung wird sie übersättigt und das Natriumchlorid fällt aus der Lösung aus. Das Natriumchlorid hat eine viel höhere Dichte als der Wasserdampf und liegt deutlich unter seinem Schmelzpunkt, geschweige denn unter seinem Siedepunkt. Wenn also das Wasser verdampft, bleiben die dichteren festen Verbindungen wie das Natriumchlorid zurück.
Glaubst du, dass dort Leben überleben kann?
Bitte diskutieren Sie in Gruppen, ob Sie glauben, dass Leben in einer Umgebung mit so hohem Salzgehalt überleben kann.
(Zeit für Gruppendiskussion einplanen)
(Antworten nehmen)
Salz- und austrocknungstolerante Bakterien
Austrocknung (ein Zustand extremer Trockenheit) ist eine häufige Belastung, der Bakterien in der natürlichen Umgebung ausgesetzt sind. Daher haben sie eine Vielzahl von Schutzmechanismen entwickelt, um die durch den Wasserverlust verursachten Schäden abzumildern. Einige Arten haben Mechanismen entwickelt, die entweder dazu beitragen, anfällige Zellbestandteile vor Schäden zu schützen, oder die Wasser sequestrieren, um eine Dehydrierung zu vermeiden. Zu diesen Mechanismen gehören die Veränderung der Membranzusammensetzung oder die Modifikation von Lipopolysacchariden, um die Membranen während des Austrocknens zu stabilisieren, sowie die Anhäufung von kompatiblen gelösten Stoffen wie Trehalose, die Zytoplasma- und Membranbestandteile schützen können. Dies hat einige zu der Annahme veranlasst, dass Leben in extremen Umgebungen wie dem hohen Salzgehalt auf dem Mars überleben könnte.
Rückblick
Nach dieser Lektion sollten die Schüler in der Lage sein, diese Fragen zu beantworten:
Welche verschiedenen Zustände der Materie gibt es?
Können Sie das Konzept der Verdunstung erklären?
Wie könnten Salz und Austrocknung die Bewohnbarkeit des Mars beeinflussen?
Europlanet Joins Swiss Space Area at Fantasy Basel
The space area at the 2024 edition of FANTASY BASEL, the Swiss Comic Con, had an exhibition and hands-on activities led by the Swiss Space Museum and its partners, including the National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) PlanetS and colleagues from Europlanet.
This year, we asked again the important question: what do you think a comet smells like? Over the three days, we collected 328 creative responses to this question, and talked to up to 10,000 attendees on the stand overall.
Responses ranged from :
Acacia honey
Fresh rain
A dusty cellar
Dirt mixed with water
Toilet cleaner
Flowers
Urine
A mossy cave
Old socks
Burned rock with caramel
Waste with mint
Incense and sandalwood
Holy somke1
Bergamot
Stone dust
Skunk
Sulfur and rose
Fizzer sweets
My cat after it went under the dusty bed
Out of this world 😉
Vick’s Vapo-Rub
Rotten dust / feet
Menthol
Sandalwood
Foul eggs
Esoteric store
Tiger balm
Chalk
The zoo
and many more!
Many thanks to the organisers for a fantastic event!
Europlanet Transnational Access on Show at ATOMKI-Hosted Workshop
The HUN-REN Nuclear Research Institute (ATOMKI) recently hosted a two-day workshop on Radiation-Driven Chemistry in Astrophysics and Planetary Science. Around 45 international participants attended and discussed developments in astrochemistry and present the latest results of research. The first day finished with a round-table discussion on some of the challenges and opportunities for the astrochemistry community
Several presentations over the two days featured work carried out through the Europlanet 2024 Research Infrastructure (RI) Transnational Access programme in the ATOMKI laboratories.
Find out more about how the ATOMKI facilities have been developed through support from the Europlanet 2024 RI project.
Report from the Radiation-Driven Chemistry in Astrophysics and Planetary Science Workshop
(Reposted in English from the original on the ATOMKI website, with thanks to ATOMKI and the workshop organising committee.)
The HUN-REN Nuclear Research Institute (ATOMKI) recently hosted specialists researching chemical processes in outer space. The aim of the two-day event called Radiation-Driven Chemistry in Astrophysics and Planetary Science Workshop was to review the development directions of astrochemistry and to present the latest results of measurements carried out in the ATOMKI laboratories in the framework of international collaborations.
The starry sky is magical and enchanting. Humanity has been preoccupied with the regularities observed in the movement of celestial objects since its inception. In addition to observing with the naked eye, thanks to the development of technical devices, we first used binoculars and then spectroscopic (spectroscopic) methods to spy on the sky. And the space tools launched into outer space expanded our horizons and our possibilities explosively. Today, many disciplines deal with the study of our remote environment.
Astrophysics – hand in hand with astronomy – deals with the origin, history and structure of the world, the creation of chemical elements, and nuclear physical processes taking place in stars. Nuclear astrophysics research is largely carried out with the help of particle accelerators, where nuclear physics reactions are created, modeling the processes taking place in stars.
Astrochemistry studies the chemical processes taking place in outer space. How do more complex molecules form in the cradles of stars, in these very cold and distant molecular clouds, in the thin layers of ice containing atoms and smaller molecules deposited on the particles of cosmic dust? What chemical transformations take place on the surface and atmosphere of planets, moons, comets, and asteroids?
According to research, it is becoming more and more obvious that cosmic radiation and the high-energy particles emitted by stars, such as photons, ions and electrons, play a decisive role in these chemical processes. Their flow is called the stellar wind or, in the case of the Sun, the solar wind.
With the help of instruments on the ground and in space, we can also determine the chemical composition of very distant celestial bodies and nebulae. Among the hundreds of molecules detected in outer space, you can find the building blocks of living organisms, as well as larger organic molecules. Astrobiology deals with the study of the processes leading to the creation of life.
Molecules in the distant regions of outer space can be identified with the help of space telescopes (such as the James Webb Space Telescope) that use the method of radio astronomy and spectrum analysis in the infrared range (spectroscopy), and thus learn something about the chemical processes taking place there. In the closer places, within the Solar System, the probes of the space missions perform direct sampling and measurements.
However, in order to interpret the data, it is necessary to model the effect of cosmic radiation, the stellar wind, and the solar wind on molecules and thus on chemical processes here on Earth in laboratory conditions. Most of the processes taking place in the Solar System can be modeled with the help of high-energy ions and electrons created by ATOMKI’s particle accelerator equipment, ion and electron sources. Dozens of foreign groups come to the institute every year to take advantage of the facilities offered by the equipment.
With the particle beam, ices of a special composition are irradiated, such as are found on the surface of icy celestial bodies in our Solar System. Chemical changes are followed by infrared spectroscopic methods. In the research in this direction at the institute, the focus of attention is currently on the experimental modeling of the processes taking place on the icy moons of the planet Jupiter. With these experiments, ATOMKI supports the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) mission of the European Space Agency (ESA).
The two-day meeting that took place between April 25-26, 2024. The majority of the 43 participating researchers came from Europe and America. The cooperating partners reported on the results of their measurements carried out in the laboratories of ATOMKI. Leading researchers of the profession analysed the directions of the development of astrochemistry and reviewed the opportunities and challenges that arise in relation to astrochemistry in the fields of space research, space industry and climate research. The experts visited ATOMKI’s particle accelerator equipment and laboratories, where research conducted in international cooperation can continue in the future.
The first planetary science workshop in Bolivia is underway! The workshop is being held over four days at the Institute for Geological and Environmental Research (Instituto de Investigaciones Geologicas y del Medio Ambiente UMSA) in La Paz, Bolivia. It is part of the Europlanet Workshop Series, organised by the Global Collaboration and Integration Task of the Europlanet 2024 Research Infrastructure (RI) project.
The purpose of the workshop is to provide tools for the processing and mapping of planetary surfaces, exploring different planets and analogous environments in Bolivia and Latin America.
Catch up on YouTube:
This workshop is supported through the Europlanet 2024 RI project, which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 871149.
The Europlanet Society participated for the first time in the Space Tech Expo Europe, which took place in Germany (Bremen) between 14-16 November 2023. Attending the event provided an opportunity not only to strengthen the Society’s presence on the European space scene, but also to highlight its commitment to innovation and technological development in the planetary exploration sector.
Europlanet stand at Space Tech Expo Europe. Credit: D MoreauEuroplanet stand at Space Tech Expo Europe. Credit: D MoreauEuroplanet stand at Space Tech Expo Europe. Credit: D Moreau
During the event, Europlanet organized eleven business-to-business sessions, and eighty-one presentations at the stand to share know-how with participants. The Society also took the opportunity to unveil its new sustainability project (Europlanet Association), as well as to showcase its achievements, share knowledge and establish strategic partnerships with other key players in the space industry.
Europlanet’s presence at the Space Tech Expo Europe in Bremen was a great success, highlighting the society’s continued commitment to planetology exploration, exploitation and space innovation. This participation marks the start of a new era for Europlanet, opening the way to new opportunities, partnerships and achievements in the field of European planetology exploration and beyond.
The workshop is free of charge but places are limited!
Registration
Registration opens on 01/08/2023 and closes on 27/09/2023. It is compulsory and must be accompanied by a letter of interest and a brief curriculum vitae (max 1 page). You will receive via email confirmation of your acceptance. Participation in the workshop includes all coffee and lunch breaks.
Number of participants
35 people will be admitted in-person and up to 100 online.
Language
English or Spanish
Deliverables
Attendees (both in-person and online) will be issued, on request, with a certificate of attendance. The materials of topics presented at the 1st Latin America Planetary Science Workshop – Connecting Earth with other Planets will be available.
The Europlanet Summer School 2023 is being hosted by Vilnius University’s Moletai Astronomical Observatory (MAO) in Lithuania from 8-18 August.
For the first time, the School is taking place in hybrid format, with 20 participants from 10 countries attending on site and up to 30 people following online. The participants include early careers (right the way from high-school to BSc, MSc, PhD and postdoc) and amateur astronomers.
During the School, participants will gain hands-on experience observing with MAO’s 1.65m and 35/51cm-telescopes (weather permitting!) and training in analysing exoplanet transits, stellar spectra, atmospheric parameters and variability data. The programme includes training modules in communication skills and engaging with schools, as well as lectures on space and ground-based observations and machine learning.
Deividas Dudulis (high-school student and astrophotographer), who is participating in the Summer School, will be posting photos here.
Tour of Molėtai Astronomical Observatory 1.65 m telescope. Credit: Deividas DudulisMolėtai Astronomical Observatory 1.65 m telescope. Credit: Deividas DudulisInside dome of Molėtai Astronomical Observatory 1.65 m telescope. Credit: Deividas Dudulis31/51 cm Maksutov-system Molėtai Astronomical Observatory telescope. Credit: Deividas Dudulis
The first Europlanet Research Infrastructure Meeting (ERIM), co-hosted with the 5th Europlanet Early Career (EPEC) Annual Week, will take place next week (19-23 June 2023) in Bratislava, Slovakia.
Almost 150 people will join in person, with a further 130 people registered to participate online.
If you will be joining us for ERIM 2023 and EPEC Annual Week, here are some final updates and reminders.
The Whova app is your online portal for ERIM and EPEC Annual Week 2023. Use the app to access sessions remotely, receive updates to the programme and other notices, and join discussions. It’s also a great place for networking with other ERIM participants. If you haven’t already done so, please download the Whova mobile app or access it from the desktop web platform. Add sessions to your personal agenda to help us ensure appropriate room allocations and keep the meeting running smoothly.
Remote participation: In the Whova app, click on ‘Agenda’ and then choose the session you want to join. The window for the live stream will open 10 minutes before the scheduled start of the session to enable speakers and panellists to test their audio/video and screen-sharing settings. The link is the same for speakers and general attendees. All attendees will be muted when they enter the WebEx livestream. You can request to be unmuted by using the ‘raise hand’ function or asking through the chat. Guidelines and tutorials for participants and speakers are available on the ERIM 2023 website.
Incident reporting: ERIM 2023 and EPEC Annual Week are committed to providing a safe, welcoming and inclusive experience for participants. In registering for ERIM and EPEC Annual Week 2023, physical and virtual participants have accepted that they are bound by the Code of Conduct for Europlanet 2024 RI. If you observe or experience behaviour that is in breach of the Code of Conduct and wish to file a report, please use the incident reporting form.
Quiet room: We will provide access to a quiet room within the Hotel Sorea for any on-site participant that may have need of a space to pray, breastfeed or simply have a moment of silence. We will advertise the location of this room daily on the Whova app Community Board and on the ERIM Notices Board in the lobby of the Hotel Sorea.
Social event and excursion:There are still some tickets available for the social event dinner (€30) on Wednesday 21 June at the Parlament Restaurant, which has panoramic views of the castle and Danube. Some places are also available on the bus for the excursion to Comenuis University Astronomical Observatory (10€) on Thursday 22 June. To sign up for either or both of these events, register now.
Public transport: Participants can get to the Hotel Sorea by bus or tram (the nearest stop is Kráľovské údolie). Hotel Družba and Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Comenius University (FMFI UK), are at bus/tram stop Botanická záhrada. More details on travel and local information are available on the ERIM website.
Changes to your plans:If your travel plans change or you want to change your participation from in-person to hybrid (or vice versa) please let us know so that we can keep the venue up to date with numbers.
Europlanet Challenges: An objective of the meeting will be to brainstorm action plans for 10 challenges related to the sustainability of Europlanet. On Monday, we will ask all participants to join one of 10 topical teams that will focus on each of the challenges. Look out for discussion threads on the Community Board where you can get involved.
Rocks from Space and Planetary Defence Workshop in Morocco
Rocks from Space and Planetary Defence, the third in a Europlanet Series of workshops is taking place this week from 25-28 April 2023 at the Hôtel Club Val d’Anfa in Casablanca, Morocco, and online.
25 students have been taking part on site and a further 33 students have followed the workshop virtually.
Europlanet 2024-RI and the Molėtai Astronomical Observatory (ITPA VU) are pleased to announce the international research summer school “Space missions: ground-based observations and science communication“ (hybrid school, August 8 – 18, 2023). The aim of the course is to give participants a thorough, multidisciplinary introduction into space missions and the ground-based observations required by space missions before and after launch, as well as an introduction to science communication. More general subjects about specific space missions (TESS, JWST, PLATO…), planetary systems, habitability of planets, photometric and spectroscopic techniques will be presented. Participants will be given some hands-on experience with analysis of stellar chemical composition, detection of stellar variability and/or exoplanets using the Molėtai Astronomical Observatory telescopes (CCD photometry and high-resolution spectroscopy). In addition, the course will give participants the opportunity to develop comprehensive theoretical and practical skills in science communication and engaging with a range of lay audiences, including the public, media, policy makers, schools and educators. The course is open to PhD and master students, early career scientists, and amateur astronomers.
Activities of professional astronomers and amateur astronomers will be merged in order to achieve more understanding between groups. The level of the school is orientated to PhD students and early career scientists, however amateur astronomers will be provided with the additional scientific support during lectures and observations.
For selected* participants from the European Economic Area (EEA) and one or two participants from countries outside EEA the participation will be fully covered and up to €360,- for travel depending on the distance travelled will be reimbursed by Europlanet 2024-RI.
Other selected participants will have to pay a participation fee of 600 EUR that includes accomodation, meals, excursions and local transportation.
The school is organised by the European Commission HORIZON 2020 project EUROPLANET 2024 Research Infrastructure. Europlanet 2024 Research Infrastructure has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 871149.
The deadline for application is 8 June 2023 23:59:00 UTC.
Notifications of acceptance by 1 July 2023 23:59:00 UTC.
* More information concerning the reimbursement will be provided for the selected participants personally.
ERIM is a new kind of meeting to support European planetary science and associated communities. The format of ERIM 2023 is a series of interactive workshops related to the activities of the Europlanet 2024 Research Infrastructure (RI) project, research infrastructures in general, and the Europlanet Society. The meeting will be co-hosted with EPEC Annual Week 2023, the training school for the Europlanet Early Career Network.
How will it Work?
Workshops will be organised under a series of programme tracks. You can dip in and out of programme tracks, workshops and even sessions during the week. The aim is to make new connections, brainstorm ideas, develop synergies, increase opportunities for collaboration and help us build a strong, thriving, sustainable community for planetary science in Europe.
You don’t have to be a member of the Europlanet Society or the Europlanet 2024 RI project to participate in ERIM. We are looking for new people to engage with Europlanet, so everyone is welcome. However, we will be offering free accommodation and travel grants to a limited number (~150) of participants. If we are over-subscribed in requests for support, priority will be given to Europlanet Society members. (Find out about other benefits of joining the Europlanet Society).
Programme
Many different topics will be covered within the ERIM programme tracks and workshops, including:
Europlanet VA Services (including the VESPA Virtual Observatory for planetary data, SPIDER Space Weather Services, GMAP Geological Mapping and Machine Learning)
Research Infrastructures (including Common Challenges and Sustainability for Small and Medium-sized Distributed RIs, and the Europlanet 2024 RI Council Meeting)
4th Europlanet Workshop on Fireballs/Lunar Impact Flashes
12-13 May 2023, online.
Convened by: Manuel Scherf (Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences), Günter Kargl (Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences) and Detlef Koschny (Technical University of Munich, Germany).
In cooperation with the Europlanet 2024 Research Infrastructure (RI), a series of four workshops bringing together different networks of fireball observers and machine-learning experts were being arranged over the last two years. This series is aimed at: i) the development of a common data format and/or common entry point to the observational data of the different fireballs networks, ii) getting the community for observing lunar impact flashes together, and iii) machine-learning science cases for meteor observations.
Europlanet 2024 RI’s Expert Exchange Programme aims to support the planetary community to share expertise and best practice, and to prepare new facilities and services. The programme provides funding for short visits (up to one week).
Colin Clarke of Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, visited Susan Murabana and the Travelling Telescope Team in Kenya from 11 September – 23 October 2022.
The Travelling Telescope is dedicated to promoting science and technology by sharing the wonder of the cosmos with people from all walks of life. The objective of this Expert Exchange project was to provide the Travelling Telescope with assistance from an experienced science communicator, to help the team to grow and reach even more kids and adults.
Colin brought experience in science communication gained at the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium and as Secretary of the Trinity Space Society at Trinity college, Dublin. During the visit, he experienced the full range of the work that the Travelling Telescope engages in, and assisted them in every aspect of their enterprise. Throughout the Exchange, he shared his experience in science communication, data science and event organisation, as well as his technical background in astrophotography and stargazing using powerful telescopes.
During the visit, Colin:
Helped with the running of shows in the Nairobi Planetarium, enabling the length of the shows to be increased for the visitors, while the workload for the planetarium operator was halved.
Assisted with the Travelling Telescope’s schools’ programme of night-time stargazing sessions and day time sessions in the inflatable planetarium.
Gave classes on science, astronomy and music at Pembroke House, a British boarding school in Gilgil.
Supported the Travelling Telescope in the lead up, observation, and aftermath of NASA’s DART mission, converting the format of data collected to create time-lapses and enhance its quality in post-processing.
Assisted with the cleaning and installation of 2 spare solar panels at the Nairobi Planetarium
Helped with the repair of the mobile, inflatable planetarium.
Expert Exchange Objectives covered by this visit: Improvement of Facilities and Infrastructure, Training, Widening Participation from Under-Represented States, Inclusion of Amateur Astronomers, Engagement with Wider Society.
The second Europlanet 2024 RI Workshop, “Applications of Earth Observation Satellite Data”, coordinated by the University of Bologna and Italian Cultural Institute (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation) was held in Addis Ababa at the Italian Cultural Institute (IIC) in Ethiopia. The event was sponsored by the Italian Space Agency and the National Institute of Astrophysics.
Space is now an objective of strategic importance for African countries. Africa looks to space as a valuable tool for the support, competitiveness and growth of the continent. Africa’s Agenda 2030 and Agenda 2063 set out its future objectives to transform it into a strong, resilient and influential actor and partner on the global scene, and to have the right to a share of global common goods: land, oceans and space.
Now, the Europlanet 2024 Research Infrastructure project and its Global Collaboration and Integration Development programme coordinated by Prof. Barbara Cavalazzi of the University of Bologna, aim to address the challenge of creating a network for planetary sciences in Africa at a national and international, favoring intra-African relations.
Recently, 38 participants from all over Ethiopia attended an international workshop in person. The attendees were professionals, researchers and PhD students from the Universities of Addis Ababa, Mezan Tepi, Semera, Wollo, Wolkite, Oda Bultum, but also from the Ethiopian Space Science and Technology Institute, the Space Science and Geospatial Institute, the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, the Ethiopian Forest Development, the Ethiopian Roads Administration, all linked by common interests such as Earth observation, use of satellite images and related applications.
Barbara Cavalazzi explains: “The format I chose for this event was to provide high-quality content, examples of applications, and practical workshops for using the software, with kind support from high-profile instructors (Gabriele Bitelli and Francesca Trevisiol, University of Bologna, Patrizia Sacco, Italian Space Agency, Addisu Gezahegn, Addis Ababa University and Gemechu Fanta Garuma, Space Science and Geospatial Institute). In parallel, times for discussion and sessions were organised for the exchange of ideas on research in the field of Earth observation. Interaction between the participants themselves was encouraged, laying the foundations for the formation of a local community of specialists on the subject. And I can say that we have achieved the goal”.
“We are happy to welcome so many participants to this workshop from all over Ethiopia, in conjunction with the National Space Day celebrations,” says Dr. Semen Kumurzhi, Director of the Italian Cultural Institute. “The initiatives promoted are part of the strategy to relaunch our cultural and integrated programme in this country and represent an important moment of dialogue, in particular with a young generation of local scientists and researchers. These activities will help to raise the profile of our country in Ethiopia in a modern and innovative way. It is an excellent example of collaboration between the University of Bologna and the other national organistions (Embassy of Italy, ASI, INAF), whom I sincerely thank. We hope that the results of these projects lead to medium to long-term partnerships, so that we can support the development of space and planetary science in Ethiopia and Africa for years to come.”
“Earth observation through satellite images represents a fundamental tool for the monitoring and management of the territory. The educational programme of the workshop included theoretical lessons supported by practical sessions with open-source software, providing students with the tools to use remote sensing images to support their own research or professional activity. Possible applications, which emerged as priorities from the participants, included the monitoring of agriculture in the context of food security, the prevention of natural disasters, the monitoring of surface water and drought, together with the other environmental problems that climate change is making increasingly evident,” explain Gabriele Bitelli and Francesca Trevisiol at the end of the workshop.
The workshop, which ended on 16 December, coincided with the second National Space Day, during which the “LOOKING BEYOND/Guardare Oltre” satellite image exhibition (curated by F. Maggia) set up at the IIC was inaugurated. The programme was enriched by a series of workshops “Let’s light up the constellations” held by Dr. Federico Di Giacomo of INAF-Astronomical Observatory of Padua, and organized in collaboration with Dr Maura Sandri of INAF and Prof Barbara Cavalazzi, which involved nearly 200 students from the Galileo Galilei Italian school in Addis Ababa.
The second Europlanet Workshop,”Earth Satellite and Data Analyses”.The second Europlanet Workshop,”Earth Satellite and Data Analyses”.The second Europlanet Workshop,”Earth Satellite and Data Analyses”.‘Let’s light up the constellations’ workshop.The second Europlanet Workshop,”Earth Satellite and Data Analyses”.The second Europlanet Workshop,”Earth Satellite and Data Analyses”.The second Europlanet Workshop,”Earth Satellite and Data Analyses”.The second Europlanet Workshop,”Earth Satellite and Data Analyses”. IThe second Europlanet Workshop,”Earth Satellite and Data Analyses”.The second Europlanet Workshop,”Earth Satellite and Data Analyses”.The second Europlanet Workshop,”Earth Satellite and Data Analyses”.‘Let’s light up the constellations’ workshop.The second Europlanet Workshop,”Earth Satellite and Data Analyses”, coordinated by the University of Bologna and Addis Ababa (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation), was held in Addis Ababa at the Italian Cultural Institute (IIC) in Ethiopia. Schools attended a workshop: “Let’s light up the Constellations”. Credit: INAF/UniBo/IIC/Europlanet.
University of Bologna participation was by Barbara Cavalazzi, Professor in the Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, who coordinated the workshop, and Gabriele Bitelli and Francesca Trevisiol, Professor and doctoral student in the Geomatics group of the Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering, who participated in the initiative. The event was organised with the support of Europlanet 2024 RI, which received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 program (Grant No 871149).
Europlanet 2024 RI has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 871149.
Europlanet AISBL (Association Internationale Sans But Lucratif – 0800.634.634) is hosted by the Department of Planetary Atmospheres of the Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB), Avenue Circulaire 3, B-1180 Brussels, Belgium.
