The Europlanet Ireland and UK Hub is pleased to announce that the 2026 Research Visit Prize has been awarded to Holly Raynor, a PhD student at Birkbeck, University of London. The prize provides up to €1,000 to enable a planetary or space scientist to travel within Ireland and the UK to visit another institution for a research visit.
About the research
Holly’s PhD focuses on the operational capabilities of instruments aboard the Rosalind Franklin rover, with the goal of developing and informing future science operations for the mission. Using analogue samples selected on the basis of remote sensing data from Rosalind Franklin’s landing site, Oxia Planum, she plans on building a library of mission-representative data products that can be used to simulate day-to-day rover operations, helping to establish the best observational conditions for each instrument and understand how their data products complement one another. A key aim of this work is to quantify how the rover’s instruments overlap and enhance each other’s outputs, enabling flexible and reactive geological analysis within the mission’s limited resource constraints.
The visit
The award will support a visit to Aberystwyth University, where Holly will collect data from a set of analogue samples using the Aberystwyth University PanCam Emulator (AUPE) and spectrometers covering the spectral range of the Enfys instrument. PanCam and Enfys are both “survey” instruments mounted on the ‘head’ or ‘mast’ section of Rosalind Franklin, and are designed to characterise the geology of the landing site and guide target selection for drilling, making them essential components of science operations planning.
Holly said: “I will have the benefit of working directly with the Enfys team to collect Enfys-representative spectra of analogues, which ensures both instrument operation and data processing is in line with the planned workflows for mission data. Being able to collect this data at Aberystwyth ensures that mission-representative data products are as accurate as possible, improving the reliability of my cross-instrumental analysis and any derived operational recommendations.”
Aberystwyth offers a rare opportunity to access emulators of multiple Rosalind Franklin instruments at a single site for cross-instrumental sample analysis. Crucially, AUPE’s two Wide Angle Cameras (WACs) enable stereo imaging, which is currently a gap in Holly’s analogue data library, and provide an ideal environment to cross-validate data against existing training models. During the visit, Holly will develop her experience in operating PanCam and Enfys emulators first-hand, and build up a working knowledge of the current baseline of planned rover instrument operational procedure which will be enhanced by the data she collects.
Holly said: “This grant from Europlanet has enabled me to integrate Enfys and AUPE data into my cross-instrumental analysis seamlessly, providing an essential element of target spectral analysis that will complement my ongoing work with the PanCam and CLUPI instruments.”
A funding scheme for planetary scientists in Ireland and the UK
—- APPLICATIONS NOW CLOSED FOR 2026 —-
The Europlanet Ireland & UK Hub invites applications from planetary scientists for the 2026 Research Visit Fund.
Building on the success of our 2025 Early Career Researcher Conference Fund — which supported nine ECRs in attending meetings across the UK — we are delighted to open a new competitive fund to support research collaboration across Ireland and the UK in the field of planetary and space science.
This fund provides an award of up to €1,000 in total to enable a planetary or space scientist to travel within Ireland and the UK to visit a host institution for a research visit. This could include working on a paper, performing experiments, accessing specialist facilities, or other collaborative research activities. Funds may be used to cover or offset travel, accommodation, subsistence, and access expenses. We particularly encourage transnational research visits (Ireland to the UK, or vice versa).
Research visits must take place between summer and the end of 2026. The Europlanet Ireland+UK Hub Committee have compiled a non-exhaustive list of potential host institutions, and these are listed below the application form.
Applications closed on Friday 1st of May, 17:00 BST.
Who can apply?
Applicants must:
Be affiliated with an institution in Ireland or the UK
Be individual members of Europlanet, or be based at an institution with an organisational Europlanet membership
Be intending to visit a host institution within Ireland or the UK
Submit no more than one application
Have agreed the proposed visit with their intended host institution before submitting an application
There is no strict career-stage requirement for this fund, but priority may be given to Early Career Researchers. Europlanet defines ECRs as anyone whose last degree was obtained no more than 7 years ago (not counting parental leave, serious illness, and similar career breaks).
Application Closing Date: Friday 1st of May, 17:00 BST
Potential Host Institutions
To help inspire applications, we have compiled a list of planetary science research groups and facilities across Ireland and the UK that have expressed interest in hosting visitors. This list is not exhaustive — applicants are welcome to propose a visit to any institution in Ireland or the UK, whether or not it appears below. Applicants should contact potential host institutions for feasibility before naming them in their application.
If you would like your group or facility to be added to this list, please fill out our quick Google Form.
University of Cambridge, Department of Earth Sciences Planetary Chemistry Group
Research interests: Outer planet aurorae; gas and ice giant magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere coupling; gas giant ionospheres; plasma circulation within giant planet magnetospheres; X-ray emissions from planetary magnetosheaths; space plasma interactions at Mars; moon-magnetosphere interactions. The group combines numerical modelling, observations, and data analysis.
Capabilities: HST datasets, standard techniques applied to publicly available data, MIT coupling and atmospheric models
Research interests: Our Solar and Space Physics researchers work to understand the physics of the Sun, the solar-terrestrial connection, and all aspects of space physics including planetary and cometary plasma physics. To better protect and utilise humanity’s use of space, we have a particular focus around space weather and satellite technology.
Capabilities: The group is involved in a number of space missions such as Solar Orbiter, MMS, Comet Interceptor, and JWST. There is also expertise in the usage of ground based observatories such as VLT, DKIST, and IRTF to observe the Sun, the giant planets, and comets.
Research interests: Hypervelocity impact testing, space and planetary environmental simulation and exposure experiments, simulation of Mars and other geomorphological and aeolian processes.
Capabilities: A two-stage light gas gun capable of firing mm-sized projectiles horizontally or vertically at up to ~7 km/s; several environmental simulation chambers capable of replicating conditions in space and on planetary surfaces.
Research interests: Planetary geoscience; Mars; Mercury; Icy moons; Surface-atmosphere interaction; Planetary GIS; Planetary orbital remote sensing; Machine learning applied to planetary GIS; Mars rover missions (especially the ESA Rosalind Franklin Rover mission).
Capabilities: Expert group with a strong track record of hosting and mentoring visiting researchers. High-specification GIS workstations set up for machine learning tasks; access to a Linux cluster with climate modelling tools; co-located staff-student workspace welcoming to visitors.
Research interests: Past, present, and future climatic changes and their impacts on ice masses, oceans, the atmosphere, and landscapes — including glaciers, ice sheets, and glaciated landscapes on both Earth and Mars.
Capabilities: GIS and remote sensing; ice flow modelling; luminescence dating laboratory; Arctic and Antarctic fieldwork; proximity to sites of geomorphic and geological interest in the Peak District National Park.
Research interests: Planetary sample science, including petrological, geochemical, and isotopic analysis of meteorites and mission-returned samples. Questions relating to the formation and early evolution of the Solar System, and geological and surface processes on asteroids, Mars, and the Moon.
Capabilities: SEM, EPMA, Raman spectroscopy, LA-ICP-MS, NanoSIMS, experimental petrology, noble gas mass spectrometry, and clean rooms for sample preparation. Note: applicants wishing to use research facilities should discuss their application with the group before submitting.
Research interests: Evolution of the Solar System through analysis of meteorites and asteroids; geology and surface processes on terrestrial planetary bodies; composition of icy moons.
Capabilities: An exceptionally well-equipped facility including: preparation laboratory; clean room; offline high-memory computing for data processing; electron microprobe (JEOL JXA-8530F); multiple field emission and conventional SEMs with EDS; portable SEM; two micro-CT scanners; extensive light microscopy; ICP-MS and ICP-OES; single crystal and powder X-ray diffractometers.
Remote sensing lab including high-specification GIS workstations with stereo DEM production capabilities, multi- and hyper-spectral remote sensing facilities, and involvement in active orbital and in situ space missions (Rosalind Franklin, CaSSIS-TGO, etc).
Research interests: Venus surface and crustal processes, tectonics, geomorphology, radar data processing, Earth observation of Venus analogues, and Venus observations from past and future orbital missions.
Capabilities: Primarily computational — the group includes postdoctoral researchers, PhD and MSc students, and academic staff working with remote sensing and modelling tools.
University of Edinburgh Edinburgh Centre for Planetary Sciences
Research interests: The Centre works across the full breadth of planetary science, including Solar System science, exoplanetary science, astrobiology and the origins of life, and mission science.
Capabilities: A wide range of analytical and computational facilities including microscopy, mass spectrometry, light spectroscopy, X-ray analysis, biological analysis, and numerical modelling. Full details at https://planetarysciences.ed.ac.uk/facilities.
Research interests: Origin and evolution of solar system small bodies, including Trojan, Main Belt, and Near-Earth asteroids and cometary meteor streams, through modelling, observations, and data mining.
Capabilities: Analytical and semi-analytical orbital evolution models; AI and machine learning algorithms for asteroid classification; in-house high-performance computing for many-particle numerical simulations; access to observing facilities for photometric and spectrophotometric data acquisition.
A group of early career researchers from The Open University (OU) became analogue astronauts for a week in December 2025 as a crew mission to the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS), Utah. The mission was supported by €5,000 in Europlanet funding, marking the first MDRS crew mission led by OU research students.
MDRS is a renowned analogue research facility operated by the Mars Society, designed to simulate the conditions and operational challenges of living and working on Mars. The station hosts relays of international teams conducting cutting-edge research and testing technologies that could support future human exploration of Mars.
The Open University Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) crew. Left to right: Adam Losekoot, Dr Mara Leite, Nisha Gor, and Daniel Loy.
A multidisciplinary team
The crew comprised three OU PhD students: Nisha Gor (project lead and mission XO [Executive Officer]), a planetary scientist studying lake geomorphology on Mars; Daniel Loy, a microbiologist investigating microbial communities in Martian analogue environments and a returning MDRS crew member who this time was mission Commander; and Adam Losekoot, a planetary scientist researching inverted channels on Mars. The team also included Dr Mara Leite, a former project officer specialising in planetary protection and resource cultivations
The crew was supported by Professor David Rothery, Professor of Planetary Science at the Open University, who acted as faculty advisor during the mission.
Reflecting on the mission, project lead Nisha Gor said:
“The Open University has researchers working on Mars-related science across multiple disciplines, so I wanted to build a multidisciplinary team across OU’s Schools of Physical Sciences, Engineering & Innovation, and Environment, Earth & Ecosystem Sciences.
We were awarded the Europlanet grant because our proposal demonstrated strong multidisciplinary collaboration and diverse representation. The aim of Europlanet is to build an inclusive research community and this project highlighted this. Our team represented a diverse range of nationalities from across Britain, the U.S., Portugal, and India, highlighting the importance of international collaboration in future human exploration of Mars.”
The mission was supported by Europlanet – the team demonstrated strong multidisciplinary collaboration and diverse representation.
Originally, the mission included six crew members, including OU PhD alumnus Ihor Sebatian (engineering) and OU laboratory technician Wewerly Fernandes (biology), who were unable to make the rotation but still participated in organising and crew meeting pre-mission.
Life inside and outside the analogue habitat
During EVAs, teams maintained constant telecommunications via the station’s radio network, logging rover battery levels and distances travelled, with mandatory check-ins every 15 minutes for safety. While the external team conducted fieldwork, crew inside the Hab processed samples, prepared laboratory work such as DNA extractions, and documented methods. After the morning EVA and a brief lunch, the second EVA followed a similar preparation cycle, returning before sunset.
During EVA’s crew members used roving vehicles, logging rover battery levels and distances travelled.Two analogue astronauts returning to the habitat after the last EVA of the mission.
Daniel Loy, mission Crew Commander said,
“A typical day at MDRS began at 7:00am with breakfast and a planning meeting before preparations for the first EVA of day. Suit operations were a critical part of the routine: EVA suits were tested for battery charge and telecommunications systems and radios were checked before entering the airlock. We had a depressurisation countdown ahead of stepping onto the “Martian surface.”
Daniel Loy conducting an extravehicular activity (EVA) in a simulated spacesuit, collecting data in the terrain surrounding the MDRS.
Evenings were dedicated to writing detailed EVA reports, GreenHab updates, media summaries, and the Commander’s report, all submitted during the station’s designated communications window (19:00–21:00), when Mission Support opened and closed internet access. The day typically concluded around 22:00, ready to repeat the simulation the following morning.”
Crew 304 in the Science Dome working on EVA planning and science with the ‘Martian’ sunset visible through the window.Teams maintained constant telecommunications via the station’s radio network with mandatory check-ins.
MDRS habitat under a cold, starry night, isolated in the Utah desert.
Faculty advisor Professor of planetary geosciences David Rothery said,
“I’m old enough to remember watching the Apollo astronauts’ moonwalks, and it was a pleasure to read the daily reports from Crew 304 and to see their stunning (and very Mars-like) field photos. Humans are likely to be back on the Moon soon (Mars will take a little longer). Experience gained at MDRS helps to plan the real missions better, as well as training a new generation. To see this crew working as a team and re-distributing responsibilities due to an enforced last-minute drop-out having coped with a later reduction in their number, made me proud of the OU’s planetary and astrobiology portfolio.”
Mara Leite during an EVA overlooking Factory Butte, Utah.The MDRS habitat in Utah, where analogue astronauts live and conduct research, with rover vehicles used for EVAs parked outside the station..
Crew 304 with EVA space suits inside the Hab.
The mission highlights the Open University’s strength in interdisciplinary planetary science and the growing role scientists will have in analogue astronaut research.
Europlanet has opened a call for funding proposals of up to 5000 € to support the activities of its members. Proposals should be submitted by the Chair (or designated representative) of a Europlanet Regional Hub, Committee or Working Group (WG).
The deadline for the call is 16 March 2026. Projects proposed in the current call should be completed by the end of 2026.
To find out more about the call and application process, please see the call page.
You can also find out about projects funded in previous rounds of this scheme here.
A funding schemefor early career researchers in Britain and Ireland – NOW CLOSED
The Europlanet Ireland & UK Hub invites applications from Early Career Researchers (ECRs) in planetary science and related fields for the 2025 ECR Fund.
This fund provides awards of up to €250 (approx. £215) per applicant to support attendance at conferences, meetings, or events taking place in the UK or Ireland before 31 December 2025. Funds may be used to help cover travel, accommodation, or registration costs.
*UPDATE – 21st November 2025*
Due to high demand, this scheme has now closed and all funding has been allocated. Thank you to all our applicants; we hope you enjoy your various meetings. Please check back in future for new funding opportunities.
Applicants must:
Be affiliated with a UK or Ireland institution
Be individual members of Europlanet or be based at an institution with an organisational Europlanet membership
Be ECRs, which Europlanet defines as anyone whose last degree was obtained no more than 7 years ago (not counting parental leave, serious illness, and similar career breaks)
Submit no more than one application each
Be attending a specific conference, meeting or related event in October, November or December 2025
Submit their application before the meeting they plan to attend has taken place.
All funds must be claimed for reimbursement by 31st December 2025.
EPSC-DPS2025: JWST Reveals Dark Beads and Lopsided Star Patterns in Saturn’s Atmosphere
Joint Press Release of Northumbria University and the Joint Meeting of the Europlanet Science Congress and the American Astronomical Society’s Division for Planetary Science (EPSC-DPS2025)
A study of Saturn’s atmospheric structure using data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has revealed complex and mysterious features unseen before on any planet in our Solar System. The results were presented last week by Prof Tom Stallard of Northumbria University, UK, at the EPSC-DPS2025 Joint Meeting in Helsinki.
“This opportunity to use JWST was the first time we have ever been able to make such detailed near-infrared observations of Saturn’s aurora and upper atmosphere. The results came as a complete surprise,” said Stallard.
“We anticipated seeing emissions in broad bands at the various levels. Instead, we’ve seen fine-scaled patterns of beads and stars that, despite being separated by huge distances in altitude, may somehow be interconnected – and may also be linked to the famous hexagon deeper in Saturn’s clouds. These features were completely unexpected and, at present, are completely unexplained.”
The international team of researchers, comprising 23 scientists from institutions across the UK, US and France, made the discoveries during a continuous 10-hour observation period on 29 November 2024, as Saturn rotated beneath JWST’s view.
The team focused on detecting infrared emissions by a positively charged molecular form of hydrogen, H3+, which plays a key role in reactions in Saturn’s atmosphere and so can provide valuable insights into the chemical and physical processes at work. JWST’s Near Infrared Spectrograph allowed the team to simultaneously observe H₃⁺ ions from the ionosphere, 1,100 kilometres above Saturn’s nominal surface, and methane molecules in the underlying stratosphere, at an altitude of 600 kilometres.
In the electrically-charged plasma of the ionosphere, the team observed a series of dark, bead-like features embedded in bright auroral halos. These structures remained stable over hours but appeared to drift slowly over longer periods.
Around 500 kilometres lower, in Saturn’s stratosphere, the team discovered an asymmetric star-shaped feature. This unusual structure extended out from Saturn’s north pole towards the equator. Only four of the star’s six arms were visible, with two mysteriously missing, creating a lopsided pattern.
“Saturn’s upper atmosphere has proven incredibly difficult to study with missions and telescope facilities to date due to the extremely weak emissions from this region,” said Stallard. “JWST’s incredible sensitivity has revolutionised our ability to observe these atmospheric layers, revealing structures that are completely unlike anything we’ve seen before on any planet.”
The team mapped the exact locations of the features and found that they overlaid the same region of Saturn at different levels, with the star’s arms appearing to emanate from positions directly above the points of the storm-cloud-level hexagon. This suggests that the processes that are driving the patterns may influence a column stretching right through Saturn’s atmosphere.
“We think that the dark beads may result from complex interactions between Saturn’s magnetosphere and its rotating atmosphere, potentially providing new insights into the energy exchange that drives Saturn’s aurora. The asymmetric star pattern suggests previously unknown atmospheric processes operating in Saturn’s stratosphere, possibly linked to the hexagonal storm pattern observed deeper in Saturn’s atmosphere,” said Stallard.
“Tantalisingly, the darkest beads in the ionosphere appear to line up with the strongest star-arm in the stratosphere, but it’s not clear at this point whether they are actually linked or whether it’s just a coincidence.”
While both features could have significant implications for understanding atmospheric dynamics on gas giant planets, more work is needed to provide explanations for the underlying causes.
The team hopes that additional time may be granted in future to carry out follow-up observations of Saturn with JWST to further explore the features. With the planet at its equinox, which occurs approximately every 15 Earth years, the structures may change dramatically as Saturn’s orientation to the Sun shifts and the northern hemisphere moves into autumn.
“Since neither atmospheric layer can be observed using ground-based telescopes, the need for JWST follow-up observations during this key time of seasonal change on Saturn is pressing,” Stallard added.
Further Information
Abstract: EPSC-DPS2025-817. Tom Stallard, Henrik Melin, Luke Moore, Emma Thomas, Katie Knowles, Paola Tiranti and James O’Donoghue.
The paper JWST/NIRSpec detection of complex structures in Saturn’s sub-auroral ionosphere and stratosphere was published in Geophysical Research Letters on 28 August 2025.
The Saturn research was supported by grants from the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), NASA Solar System Workings program, and the European Research Council. The study represents part of JWST’s ongoing revolutionary observations of our solar system’s planets.
Montage of stills from animation showing the dark, bead-like features embedded in bright auroral halos as Saturn rotates beneath JWST’s view. Credit: NASA/ESA/CSA/Stallard et al 2025.
This video of Saturn’s ionosphere highlights the contrast in brightness between JWST’s infrared observations of the aurora and the dim bead features. The aurora itself is relatively weak, almost impossible to image from Earth, needing hours of integration time to observe using ground-based data. However, the auroral features are at least four times brighter than the brightest parts of the dark bead features, so to properly show the hidden features, the aurora are completely saturated. Credit: NASA/ESA/CSA/Stallard et al 2025.
Montage of Star Arms in Saturn’s Stratosphere
Montage of stills from animation showing near infrared emissions in Saturn’s stratosphere, revealing the four star-arm features flowing from the pole towards the equator, as the planet rotates beneath JWST’s view. Credit: NASA/ESA/CSA/Stallard et al 2025.
This video of Saturn’s stratosphere shows a complex and highly surprising star-shaped structure, revealed for the first time by JWST’s unprecedented sensitivity. Four dark bands extend away from the polar region, appearing to make up four out of six arms that align with Saturn’s famous hexagon within the lower atmosphere. At this point, it is unknown why the dark arms are flowing towards the equator, or why two of the arms are missing, but the causes may be associated with the complex bead structures observed many hundreds of kilometres above in the ionosphere. Credit: NASA/ESA/CSA/Stallard et al 2025.
Dark Beads and Star Arms in Saturn’s Upper Atmosphere
Detections of near infrared emissions in Saturn’s ionosphere (right) show dark bead-like features embedded within bright aurora. In the stratosphere (left), 500 kilometres below, a lopsided star-pattern extends towards the equator. Credit: NASA/ESA/CSA/Stallard et al 2025.
Dark Beads and Star Arms in Saturn’s Upper Atmosphere
This video shows how the structures observed in Saturn’s ionosphere and stratosphere relate to one another. Starting with the aurora at 1100 km, the brightness is increased to reveal the dark bead-like features. The video then fades into the star-arm shapes within the underlying 600 km layer. The darkest beads in the ionosphere appear to line up with the strongest arm underneath it, but it is not clear if this is co-incidental, or if it suggests coupling between Saturn’s lowest and highest layers of the atmosphere. Credit: NASA/ESA/CSA/Stallard et al 2025.
Notes for Editors
About the Joint Meeting of the Europlanet Science Congress and the Division of Planetary Sciences (EPSC-DPS)
The Europlanet Science Congress (EPSC), established in 2006 as the European Planetary Science Congress, is the largest planetary science meeting in Europe. It covers the entire range of planetary sciences, with an extensive mix of talks, workshops and poster sessions, as well as providing a unique space for networking and exchanges of experiences.
EPSC joined forces for the first time with the American Astronomical Society’s Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS) for a joint meeting in Nantes, France, in 2011. This was followed by DPS-EPSC 2016 in Pasadena, EPSC-DPS 2019 in Geneva, and the return to the United States for the DPS-EPSC 2023 meeting in San Antonio. This year marks the third iteration of a joint European-based meeting. The intent of the joint meetings is not only to connect the European and North American planetary science communities, but also to consolidate two major meetings and motivate planetary scientists from all over the globe to attend. With over 1800 participants joining in person and online, EPSC-DPS2025 is the largest planetary science meeting held to date in Europe. https://www.epsc-dps2025.eu
Follow on social media (Bluesky, X and LinkedIn) with the hashtag #EPSC-DPS2025 for updates on the meeting.
About Europlanet
Europlanet (europlanet.org) is a non-profit association and membership organisation that provides the planetary science community with access to research infrastructure, services and training. The Europlanet Association Sans But Lucratif (AISBL), established in 2023, builds on the heritage of a series of projects funded by the European Commission between 2005 and 2024 (Grant Numbers 871149, 654208, 228319 and RICA-CT-2004-001637) to support the planetary science community in Europe and around the world.
About the DPS
The Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS), founded in 1968, is the largest special-interest Division of the American Astronomical Society (AAS). Members of the DPS study the bodies of our own solar system, from planets and moons to comets and asteroids, and all other solar-system objects and processes. With the discovery that planets exist around other stars, the DPS has expanded its scope to include the study of extrasolar planetary systems as well. The American Astronomical Society (AAS), established in 1899, is the major organization of professional astronomers in North America. The mission of the AAS is to enhance and share humanity’s scientific understanding of the universe as a diverse and inclusive astronomical community, which it achieves through publishing, meeting organization, science advocacy, education and outreach, and training and professional development.
EPSC-DPS2025: Mars’s Chilly North Polar Vortex Creates a Seasonal Ozone Layer
Joint Meeting of the Europlanet Science Congress and the American Astronomical Society’s Division for Planetary Science (EPSC-DPS2025) Press Release
A rare glimpse into the wintry conditions of Mars’s north polar vortex has shown that temperatures inside the vortex are far colder than outside, and that the permanent darkness that winter brings to the martian north pole facilitates a surge in ozone in the atmosphere.
“The atmosphere inside the polar vortex, from near the surface to about 30 kilometres high, is characterised by extreme cold temperatures, about 40 degrees Celsius colder than outside the vortex,” said Dr Kevin Olsen of the University of Oxford, who presented the results at the EPSC-DPS2025 Joint Meeting in Helsinki last week.
At such frigid temperatures, what little water vapour there is in the atmosphere freezes out and is deposited onto the ice cap, but this leads to consequences for ozone in the vortex. Ordinarily ozone is destroyed by reacting with molecules produced when ultraviolet sunlight breaks down water vapour. However, with all the water vapour gone, there’s nothing for the ozone to react with. Instead, ozone is able to accumulate within the vortex.
“Ozone is a very important gas on Mars – it’s a very reactive form of oxygen and tells us how fast chemistry is happening in the atmosphere,” said Olsen. “By understanding how much ozone there is and how variable it is, we know more about how the atmosphere changed over time, and even whether Mars once had a protective ozone layer like on Earth.”
The European Space Agency’s ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover, which is currently scheduled to launch in 2028, will search for evidence of past life on Mars. The possibility that Mars once had an ozone layer protecting the planet’s surface from the deadly influx of ultraviolet radiation from space would boost the chances that life could have survived on Mars billions of years ago substantially.
How Mars’s Polar Vortex Forms
The polar vortex is a consequence of Mars’s seasons, which occur because the Red Planet’s axis is tilted at an angle of 25.2 degrees. Just like on Earth, the end of northern summer sees an atmospheric vortex develop over Mars’s north pole and last through to the spring.
On Earth the polar vortex can sometimes become unstable, lose its shape and descend southwards, bringing colder weather to the mid-latitudes. The same can happen to Mars’s polar vortex, and in doing so it provides an opportunity to probe its interior.
“Because winters at Mars’s north pole experience total darkness, like on Earth, they are very hard to study,” says Olsen. “By being able to measure the vortex and determine whether our observations are inside or outside of the dark vortex, we can really tell what is going on.”
Probing the Vortex
Olsen works with ESA’s ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter that is in orbit around Mars. In particular, the spacecraft’s Atmospheric Chemistry Suite (ACS) studies Mars’s atmosphere by gazing at the Red Planet’s limb when the Sun is on the other side of the planet and is shining through the atmosphere. The wavelengths at which the sunlight is absorbed give away which molecules are present in the atmosphere and how high above the surface they are.
However, this technique doesn’t work during the total darkness of martian winter when the Sun doesn’t rise over the north pole. The only opportunities to glimpse inside the vortex are when it loses its circular shape but, to know exactly when and where this is happening, requires additional data.
For this, Olsen turned to the Mars Climate Sounder instrument on NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to measure the extent of the vortex via temperature measurements.
“We looked for a sudden drop in temperature – a sure sign of being inside the vortex,” said Olsen. “Comparing the ACS observations with the results from the Mars Climate Sounder shows clear differences in the atmosphere inside the vortex compared to outside. This is a fascinating opportunity to learn more about martian atmosphere chemistry and how conditions change during the polar night to allow ozone to build up.”
Further information
EPSC-DPS2025-1438 What Goes On Inside the Mars North Polar Vortex?
Kevin Olsen, Bethan Gregory, Franck Montmessin, Lucio Baggio, Franck Lefèvre, Oleg Korablev, Alexander Trokhimovsky, Anna Federova, Denius Belyaev, Juan Alday and Armin Kleinböhl, https://doi.org/10.5194/epsc-dps2025-1438
Images
A schematic of temperature measurements shows how it is 40 degrees Celsius colder inside the north polar vortex (indicated by the yellow line) compared to outside the vortex. Image credit: Kevin Olsen (University of Oxford) et al.
A view of the north pole of Mars, created by taking images as seen by the European Space Agency’s Mars Express spacecraft and applying topographic data from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter that was on board NASA’s now defunct Mars Global Surveyor mission. Image credit: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin/NASA MGS MOLA Science Team.
Dr Kevin Olsen, University of Oxford kevin.olsen@physics.ox.ac.uk
EPSC-DPS2025 Press Office press@europlanet.org
Notes for Editors
About the Joint Meeting of the Europlanet Science Congress and the Division of Planetary Sciences (EPSC-DPS)
The Europlanet Science Congress (EPSC), established in 2006 as the European Planetary Science Congress, is the largest planetary science meeting in Europe. It covers the entire range of planetary sciences, with an extensive mix of talks, workshops and poster sessions, as well as providing a unique space for networking and exchanges of experiences.
EPSC joined forces for the first time with the American Astronomical Society’s Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS) for a joint meeting in Nantes, France, in 2011. This was followed by DPS-EPSC 2016 in Pasadena, EPSC-DPS 2019 in Geneva, and the return to the United States for the DPS-EPSC 2023 meeting in San Antonio. This year marks the third iteration of a joint European-based meeting. The intent of the joint meetings is not only to connect the European and North American planetary science communities, but also to consolidate two major meetings and motivate planetary scientists from all over the globe to attend. With over 1800 participants joining in person and online, EPSC-DPS2025 is the largest planetary science meeting held to date in Europe. https://www.epsc-dps2025.eu
Follow on social media (Bluesky, X and LinkedIn) with the hashtag #EPSC-DPS2025 for updates on the meeting.
About Europlanet
Europlanet (europlanet.org) is a non-profit association and membership organisation that provides the planetary science community with access to research infrastructure, services and training. The Europlanet Association Sans But Lucratif (AISBL), established in 2023, builds on the heritage of a series of projects funded by the European Commission between 2005 and 2024 (Grant Numbers 871149, 654208, 228319 and RICA-CT-2004-001637) to support the planetary science community in Europe and around the world.
About the DPS
The Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS), founded in 1968, is the largest special-interest Division of the American Astronomical Society (AAS). Members of the DPS study the bodies of our own solar system, from planets and moons to comets and asteroids, and all other solar-system objects and processes. With the discovery that planets exist around other stars, the DPS has expanded its scope to include the study of extrasolar planetary systems as well. The American Astronomical Society (AAS), established in 1899, is the major organization of professional astronomers in North America. The mission of the AAS is to enhance and share humanity’s scientific understanding of the universe as a diverse and inclusive astronomical community, which it achieves through publishing, meeting organization, science advocacy, education and outreach, and training and professional development.
Results of Europlanet Society Committee Funding Scheme 2025
The results have been announced of a call by the Europlanet Society to support funding proposals of €1000 to €5000 from its Regional Hubs, Committees and Working Groups and the Society Membership.
Six projects have been supported in 2025:
French Hub proposal: Lights, Camera, Early-Career Scientists in Action!(€3,500)
Audiences reached:Early-careers, under-represented states, planetary science community, other research communities, schools and the public.
“Lights, Camera, Early-Career Scientists in Action!” will showcase emerging scientists in a series of engaging 1-minute videos. Each early-career scientist (ECS) presents an “elevator pitch” highlighting their research, followed by another short film in which they share their experiences as ECS. Participants will receive expert guidance on on-camera presence, effective communication, and succinctly conveying the essence of their work.
This project aims to amplify ECS voices by creating accessible and compelling formats for science communication that will be shared on social media platforms. Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) will be prioritised, ensuring that the produced films reflect these values by showcasing various voices and perspectives within the scientific community. Filming will take place in Grenoble, allowing us to feature ECS from diverse scientific fields, each offering unique insights and making significant contributions.
Encouraging ECS to share their research, experiences, and career paths serves a dual purpose: it enhances their communication skills while demystifying complex geoscience topics, effectively bridging the gap between scientific discovery and the public.
Ireland-UK Hub proposal: Open University Crew Mission to Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS), Utah (€5000)
Audiences reached:Early-careers, industry, under-represented states, planetary science community, other research communities, amateur community, schools and the public.
A group of early career researchers from the Open University have been funded to become analogue astronauts for two weeks as part of the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) crew mission in late Autumn 2025. The MDRS is a renowned facility in Utah operated by the Mars Society, designed to simulate the conditions and challenges of living and working on Mars. They welcome teams who’d like to conduct cutting-edge research and test new technologies that could support the future human exploration of Mars.
The crew includes Dan, a microbiologist investigating properties of microbial communities in a Martian analogue site who’s previously served as a crew member at MDRS, Mara an astrobiologist focusing on planetary protection, Ihor an engineer interested in energy concepts for Mars suits and Nisha (proposer), a planetary scientist studying lake geomorphology on Mars.
The diverse and multidisciplinary crew team comprises two PhD students from the UK, who are members of Europlanet, and two international doctorates from Portugal and Ukraine. The team will carry out publich and schools’ engagement as part of their mission.
Ireland-UK Hub proposal: Defining wet-dry cycles and the impact of desiccation in temporal Mars analogue environments (€4457)
Audiences reached:Early-careers, planetary science community and other research communities.
Toledo contains small, seasonal lagoons that are chemical analogues for Noachian Mars. Continual desiccation has eliminated Lake Tirez – samples from distinct timepoints also make this site a temporal analogue for the wet-to-dry transition of Mars (Details of this work were published in Nature by Fairen et al 2023). Based on geochemical, mineralogical, microbiological and isotopic data from the other lagoons from 2022, the neighbouring lagoon, Pena Hueca, is though to be also desiccating. This project will re-sample Pena Hueca and nearby lagoons to define the evolution of this potential desiccation, allowing the team to determine if changes in Lake Tirez arose from stochastic or deterministic events, furthering understanding of the desiccation on Mars.
Building on analogue research and OU-CAB collaborations, the team will work with Dr. Felip Gomez to sample this environment. This project represents a training opportunity for incoming PhD students, and an opportunity for co-supervision for a final year PhD student, preparing them for future leadership. Planetary science will be supported via generation of data underpinning a high impact paper.
The project will strengthen research collaborations between an internationally diverse team of researchers (Spain, Turkey, Bulgaria, UK). Further dissemination will be via a series of online videos for the MBG Genetics YouTube series and applying to participate in the Café Scientifique in Madrid in November. The profile of Europlanet would also be grown with a new audience via MBG genetics, engaging with early career researchers in Turkey.
Northern Hub proposal: Survivors of the Extreme: Tardigrades and the Quest for Extraterrestrial Life (€5000)
Audiences reached:Early-careers, under-represented states, amateur community, other research communities, planetary science community, schools and the public.
This workshop, which will take place on-site and online from 18 – 20 September 2025, aims to provide an introduction to the fascinating world of tardigrades and their relevance in astrobiology. Through a combination of lectures and hands-on activities, participants will explore the biology of these microorganisms, known for their ability to survive extreme conditions, from freezing temperatures to exposure to the vacuum of space. Their role in astrobiological research will be discussed, highlighting experiments conducted in space and their potential to aid in the search for extraterrestrial life.
In addition to theoretical lectures, the workshop will include a field trip around the Molėtai Astronomical Observatory, where attendees will collect samples from potential tardigrade habitats. Later, in the laboratory, they will learn how to locate and isolate these organisms for microscopic observation, identifying their characteristics and structures while also learning how to cultivate tardigrades at home.
15 students from Lithuania and five from the Northern Europe Hub will participate in person. Additionally, an unlimited number of online participants can join.
Audiences reached:Early-careers and planetary science community.
The Mercury Laboratory Community consists of researchers working with experiments linked to planet Mercury and to ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission. The community consists mainly of researchers with affiliations in European institutes, but also with US and Japan colleagues. A first workshop was organised at DLR Berlin in 2024 and, with Europlanet support, a second will be organised in autumn 2025. The community has active working groups, and the current major topic is the preparing of a “Mercury Y” blind sample and its characterisations across the laboratories in the community. The results of this campaign will be presented in EPSC-DPS 2025 in Helsinki.
The workshop will involve multiple planetary science laboratories across Europe, developing the European role and creating internation links within Europe, and with US and Japan. Experimental laboratory activities are usually multi-discipline and have connections with industry and fields outside planetary sciences, too. Laboratories host PhD students and early-career researchers who can benefit from European-wide networking in the workshop and the Europlanet funding will be used to support their participation in the workshop, and in the community in general.
Spain-Portugal Hub proposal: Iberian Planetary Science & Solar System Exploration Congress (€5000)
Audiences reached:Early-careers, industry, under-represented states, planetary science community, other research communities, amateur community, policymakers, schools and the public.
An additional webinar will take place on 22 May, in collaboration with the IberoAmerican Space Agency Network, on asteroid stellar occultations.
The VIII Iberian Planetary Science & Solar System Exploration Congress (CPESS-8) will take place in Malaga from 26-30 May 2025. CPESS-8 is organised by the Iberian Hub of Europlanet, in collaboration with University of Malaga and will discuss the current state of planetary sciences in Spain and Portugal. The meeting will have a special focus on opportunities for scientific, technological and industrial collaborations at an international level, especially with Ibero-America, with representatives from Spain, Portugal and Latin America. The programme will include sessions on scientific policy with representatives from national Space & Research Agencies, technology sessions with a strong presence of the space industry, and scientific sessions from planetary research groups from the main public institutions. The programme will also include round tables on science-industry synergy, technology development for small missions and lunar exploration, debates on Ibero-American collaboration, early-career events in support of the new generation of researchers, collaboration with amateur astronomers and various education, public outreach and media events, which will enhance the accessibility and visibility of the congress and achieve a greater impact on society.
The Ireland-UK Hub Committee met in person at the British Planetary Science Congress (BPSC) in June 2024. The mission statement for the Hub, the committee composition and the recruitment of positions to be filled were discussed. The hub is particularly searching for more Irish representatives to join the committee.
BPSC 2024 took place at Space Park Leicester (SPL) and the adjacent National Space Centre in Leicester between 18-21 June. The event started with a 1-day workshop for early careers, during which experienced SPL engineers and project managers presented examples of how space instruments and missions are developed. The main 3-day conference consisted of oral and poster sessions, reflecting the range of topical planetary and space science activities in the UK. Europlanet sponsored the event through the Ireland-UK Hub. The Europlanet Management Team from the University of Kent attended with a stand and participated in the community consultation day.
Get to know some of the members of the Ireland-UK Hub Committee through their profiles:
Steve Miller – Interim Chair and Royal Astronomical Society Liaison, University College London
Steve Miller
Steve Miller is Emeritus Professor of Science Communication and Planetary Science at University College London, and Chair of the Royal Astronomical Society’s outreach and engagement programme RAS200: Sky & Earth. His planetary science interests lie in understanding how giant planets – like Jupiter and Saturn, and some of the hot, giant exoplanets – couple with their space environment. A former political journalist, Steve is interested in wider science and society issues. He is (co-)author of Science in Public: communication, culture and credibility (1998) and The Chemical Cosmos: a guided tour (2011). Steve is a Founder Member of Europlanet and the Europlanet Society.
Peter Fawdon – UK Planetary Forum Liaison, Open University
Peter is a research fellow at the Open University. In his research is he uses geological remote sensing to understand the geological history of early Mars. Focusing on geographic contexts of where heat (volcanoes) and water (rivers, lakes and ice) have interacted. This is part of his broad interest in the context of life outside Earth; understanding where the places are in which life could have lived. He is an involved member of the ExoMars mission, as part of the Science operations working group leading the geological mapping of the landing site, as and as part of the PanCam and CaSSIS camera teams.
Peter became involved in Europlanet through his organisation of BPSC2022 and his desire to expand the UK Planetary Forum to better serve the needs of the flourishing planetary research community across the British Isles.
Chrysa Avdellidou – Vice Chair, University of Leicester
Chrysa Avdellidou
I am a Lecturer in Planetary Science (University of Leicester), studying asteroids, moons and impacts in our solar system with experiments and observations. I am a collaborator at the ORISIS-REx, an ESA participating scientist at the Martian Moon eXploration, and I participate in the LUnar Meteoroid Impact Observer cubesat team. I hold a Physics Degree from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and a PhD in Physics from the University of Kent. I was a fellow at ESA/ESTEC and at the Observatory of Nice. I am a council member of the Royal Astronomical Society. My aim is to promote planetary science via the UK/Ireland node.
Jack Wright – Secretary, Open University
Jack Wright
Originally from Belfast, Jack Wright is a European Space Agency Research Fellow based at the European Space Astronomy Centre outside Madrid, Spain. He completed his PhD in planetary geology at the Open University (UK) in 2019, during which he made the first geological map of Mercury’s Hokusai quadrangle. He stayed at the Open University for two postdoctoral positions where he produced advanced planetary maps, including machine-learning-derived terrain maps of Martian rover landing sites. At ESA, he continues to use geological mapping to address big questions about Mercury, including the subsurface distribution of the planet’s enigmatic volatiles. Jack is looking forward to strengthening ties between planetary science researchers in Ireland and the UK as Secretary of the Europlanet Ireland & UK Regional Hub.
Lewis Dartnell – Outreach Officer, University of Westminster
Lewis Dartnell
I graduated from Oxford University with a degree in Biological Sciences and completed my PhD at University College London in 2007. I now hold the Professorship in Science Communication at the University of Westminster. My research is in the field of astrobiology and the search for microbial life on Mars, focusing on the cosmic radiation bombarding the martian surface. I am also very active in science communication and outreach. I deliver live events at schools and science festivals, work as a scientific consultant for the media, and have published five books, including one on astrobiology: ‘Life in the Universe: A Beginner’s Guide’. www.lewisdartnell.com
Planetary science research interests: Astrobiology, Mars, Cosmic Radiation, Extremophiles, Biosignatures
Connor Hoad – EPEC Representative, Royal Holloway, University of London
Connor Hoad
I am a PhD student at Royal Holloway University of London, specialising in the remote sensing of Venus’s exotic surface terrains using Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery. Scientific interests outside of my PhD include the employment of machine learning techniques for planetary surface exploration, and SAR investigation of the lunar regolith. My involvement in Europlanet is centred around facilitating the engagement of Irish and British early career researchers with the broader European Planetary Sciences community.
Callum Piper – Europlanet Liaison
Callum joined Europlanet in 2021, working with the management team of the Europlanet 2024 Research Infrastructure to deliver access and networking activities to the planetary science community. Coming from a background in humanities, Callum coordinates community-building activities like the Europlanet Society Webinar Series and is heavily involved with Europlanet’s sustainability plans beyond the end of the Europlanet 2024 RI project.
Other Ireland-UK Hub Participants
Frances Butcher, University of Sheffield
Frances Butcher is a Leverhulme Early Career Research Fellow at the University of Sheffield. She researches glacial processes on Mars and Earth. She aims to understand the role of ice and ice-related processes in the evolution of Mars’ surface and climate, and also works on reconstructing Earth’s Quaternary ice sheets. Frances is committed to supporting the planetary science community and looks forward to facilitating interactions between the Irish, British and wider European planetary science communities.
Caitriona Jackman, Dunsink Observatory, Dublin
Prof Caitriona Jackman leads the Planetary Magnetospheres group and the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies. Her research interests include magnetic reconnection, large-scale magnetospheric dynamics, remote sensing of radio, UV, X-ray emissions. She is very keen on communicating science to the general public, and led the development of Ireland’s first space-themed escape room at the DIAS Dunsink Observatory.
An astrobiology symposium was convened last week at Durham University, UK. The conference brought together a multidisciplinary range of leading experts to discuss the search for extraterrestrial life, the emergence of life on Earth and how to communicate this exciting field with the media and wider public audience. Europlanet was represented through a crewed stand for the week.
The symposium was supported by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), The Kavli Foundation, Durham University, Breakthrough Initiatives and 4Ward Futures.
Group photo of participants in the IAU-Kavli Symposium held at Durham University in April 2024. Credit: Durham University.
Name: Vix Southgate EXPLORE Project Role: Communication Support Professional Role and Affiliation: Creative Communication and VIP Manager, Vixen UK Nationality: British Current location: Chesterfield, UK
1. What did you want to be when you were 10?
Aged 10? That’s a good question, thinking back to where I was when I was 10; I was being bullied at junior school and, as a result, my interest in education was non-existent, my future hopes were merely to survive until I could move schools. So I dreamed of being famous – mainly because I saw this as being the complete opposite of where I was – the reality of fame is that celebrities are targeted even more by bullies (or trolls as they are now known), so I’m glad I changed that dream and didn’t take the role I was offered, as Vicky in Coronation Street, aged 15. I never really knew what I wanted to be – still don’t, but it’s been an amazing journey and fun adventure so far!
2. What was your favourite subject at school?
I enjoyed art, technical drawing, languages and history, anything creative or information that was relevant to my life.
3. What did you study at university? Why did you choose those topics and the places to study?
I did not do a degree, but left school after GCSES (aged 15) and went to Art College BTEC ND (National Diploma) in general art and design and photography; I then went on to a BTEC HND (Higher National Diploma) in Historic Decorative Crafts, because this course brought together all my passions, creativity through decorative arts, woodworking, photography, and technical drawing, as well as my love of history – in this case the history of art and architecture. To my surprise, it also had an element on Chemistry, in the form of paint technology, which I enjoyed, and even though my science results at GCSE were dreadful, I excelled at this, as it was relevant and interesting.
4. How did you get your first job? How many jobs have you had since?
My first job was a paper round aged 13, because I wanted to be able to buy my own Beano comics! My first proper job since leaving university was as a self-employed bespoke furniture maker, but I was making items for people who knew me and were helping me build a portfolio. I would say my first BIG break was a year in, when I landed the job of painting ALL the new signs for the Emmerdale set, my Woolpack sign was on the show for 25 years (it was replace in Dec 2022 after the plot writers set fire to the Woolpack)!
Occasionally, I had to supplement my income with temporary employment (which is fun and I am able to add new skills to my business skillset, which all helps with future employment) I’ve worked in most industries, and learned as much as I could with every job I have had.
5. What’s been the biggest piece of luck or ‘surprise twist’ you have had in your career to date?
Whilst there has been a huge element of luck throughout my career, that luck has always come along when I work hard to building a route to that moment that provides the big break. However, I think my transition into the space sector is the biggest surprise twist! I never had an interest in space, beyond supporting my Brother who has dedicated his life to Astrophysics. I thought of space as his universe, not mine, but then (after life-changing surgery which forced me to look at a new career) I found the technical/engineering side and fell in love with the passion of others in this sector.
6. Have you had a mentor or person that inspired you? How did they help you?
For my initial career my mentors and inspirations were my tutors and the mastercraftsmen of history. In the space sector, I would say it is everyone I meet, everyone has an inspirational story to tell and it is the most collaborative and supportive industry I have worked in.
7. What are the main things you do each day?
Each day is different. There are the usual admin tasks, prioritising tasks, email, social media, etc and sometimes I am doing research for a book or article, or proofreading, editing, designing graphics or logos, or following-up regarding events or potential leads (future work). Networking and keeping in touch with my connections is also high on my every-day to do list.
8. What do you like best about the work that you do and what do you like least?
I love the variety of jobs I do and the great potential to move in any direction I want to. I have the flexibility to follow new paths -and the unknown is so exciting, and terrifying! I dislike the uncertainty of where the next contract or payment is coming from, but over the decades I have found a formula that works for me ‘most of the time’!
9. Do you have ambitions or things that you would like to do next?
I have so many dreams and projects that I have started and want to finish, but my main ambition is to continue to make a difference and support future generations.
10. What advice would you give your 10-year-old self?
I would not change the advice I gave myself, aged 10, and that was that ‘you will be fine’! What helps me is; to focus on the positives of each day and leave the negativity behind. Surround yourself with people that support you and celebrate your successes with you (not those who try to bring you down). Every new day is a new opportunity to learn and succeed, but also ‘do not fear failure’ it is through failing that I have learned the most and found my greatest successes!
Quick CV
Academic qualifications
GCSEs: Maths, Eng Lang, Eng Lit, French, Spanish, History, Art, Chemistry, Physics.
BTEC ND: General Art & Design and A-Levels: Art
BTEC HND: Historic Decorative CraftsYHAFE: Teacher Training
Main or selected jobs to date:
Self employed: (1996-present) This has included bespoke woodwork; stately home restoration; theatre, TV and film production design; painting and decorating; graphic design; signwriting; motorbike repair and custom paint jobs; church restoration and woodwork; antique restoration; author and illustrator of childrens books; publishing; editing; marketing and PR; creative communications; business and design consultancy; events coordination; VIP management and scheduling; et al.
Supporting UK and Hungarian Industry Collaborations
Two overarching objectives of Europlanet are to foster industry-academic collaboration and to widen participation from under-represented states in Europe and around the world. Last week, there were opportunities to support both these aims at the UK Space Conference in Belfast and an event at the Hungarian Embassy in London.
At the UK Space Conference from 21-23 November, Europlanet shared a stand with the Hungarian Space Cluster (Hunspace). Over the course of the meeting, we met with many members of the UK and international community, in particular with early career researchers. We were particularly delighted to meet and take part in discussion sessions with the space clusters that represent the different space communities across the UK. Plenary sessions featured discussions on exploration of our Solar Sytem and the technical challenges involved.
On Friday 24 November, we were privileged to be hosted by the Hungarian Embassy in London for a meeting of the UK and Hungarian Space Communities. We were welcomed by Orsolya Ferencz, Ministerial Commissioner Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and by the Hungarian Ambassador to London, Ferenc Kumin. Nigel Mason (Europlanet 2024 RI Coordinator) and Zsolt Fulop (Chair of the research infrastructure committee in Hungary) kicked off proceedings. Tomas Barzy (Admatis) gave an overview of the Hunspace cluster’s membership, remit and history. Presentations by Hungarian and UK space industry and organisations were followed by a round-table discussion. Many thanks to Gábor Takács-Carvalho and all the team at the Hungarian Embassy for their hospitality.
Full reports on both events will be published soon.
Results of Europlanet Society Committee Funding Scheme 2023
The results have been announced of a call by the Europlanet Society to support funding proposals of €1000 to €5000 from its Regional Hubs, Committees and Working Groups and the Society Membership. Five projects have been supported in 2023:
French Hub proposal: Careers workshop at French Planetary Science Congress (€4900)
The French Planetary Science Congress will be held in Nantes in July 2024 conjointly with the French Astrobiology Society (SFE) and National Programme for Planetary Science (PNP), where two days will be devoted to astrobiology topics and two others to planetary science more generally. Funding was requested from the Europlanet Society Committee Funding Scheme to support a one-day workshop devoted to early career researchers focussed on careers in planetary science, divided into talks from industry and academia about their diverse career paths, and workshops on topics such as “CV writing for industry”, “writing a good research grant”, a poster session in the afternoon will allow attendees to exchange with the invited speakers and other researchers at the conference. The whole event will be in French to maximise interaction between the masters and PhD students and the presenters.
Spain Portugal Hub proposal: Pro-Am occultations campaigns with a portable telescope (€3300)
Occultations of stars by small Solar System bodies provide relevant information about their atmosphere, rings, satellites and morphology. The most interesting results are usually obtained when several different chords of the same occultation event are gathered. Therefore, it is usually necessary to deploy different instruments across the predicted shadow path in order to maximise the probability of capturing relevant data.
Several members of the Sociedad Astronómica Granadina (an amateur astronomy group from the south of Spain) have collaborated in dozens of different ProAm occultation campaigns promoted by the IAA and other organizations, specially those involving transneptunian objects, Jupiter trojans and NEOs. Those campaigns usually involve traveling (sometimes thousands of kilometers) in order to correctly position the telescopes and auxiliary gear. To continue and improve collaborations, funding was requested from the Europlanet Society Committee Funding Scheme to acquire a more powerful (but still portable) telescope to obtain occultation data of fainter stars.
Central Europe Hub proposal: Orionids 2023 (€1400)
Funding was requested from the Europlanet Society Committee Funding Scheme to support “Orionids 2023”, a meteor astro-camp. During a weekend workshop that will take place in Banská Štiavnica, in central Slovakia, different astrophysicist and astronomers amateur will provide lectures about how to observe meteor showers and secondary meteor showers in a classical traditional way. This seminar will teach the participants how to be prepared theoretically for such an observation, what methodology (IMO) to use and how to practically observe a meteor shower in general. Afterwards, it will be given the knowledge of submitting the results in the IMO database. Another aim of the project is to teach a new lecturing team in order to maintain visual observation discipline, also nowadays in modern digital times. The plan for the future is to organize the observation of meteor showers at least 3 times a year. The best possibilities would be in Slovak dark sky parks or another convenient location. The expected number of participants of the Orionids 2023 is 12 with 4 lecturers. The first Orionids astro-camp is planned in Slovakia but international participants are also welcome
Central Europe Hub: Variable stars and exoplanet research meeting – support for international audience (€3060)
The Czech Variable stars meeting is traditionally organised by the Czech Astronomical Society, Variable stars and exoplanet section, association of professional and amateur astronomers predominantly from the Czech Republic, but also members from other european countries. This meeting has a long history, the last 54th meeting took place in November 2022 in Ostrava, Czech Republic. Average audience is between 50 and 100 participants, including online audience. Various topics with focus on pro-am research of variable stars and exoplanets are discussed. With the incresing number of international collaboration, there is a rise of international audience of the meeting. Last year’s meeting was also held in hybrid form. Funding was requested from the Europlanet Society to broaden focus of the meeting to the Central European international audience by formally dividing the meeting to consecutive international and Czech/Slovak sections, advertising the meeting on the European level and providing support for in-person participants – amateur astronomers and students. The support will comprise travel bursaries and support with translation of presentations and other material into English. Since 2021 there is also an student section in the form of a competition organised, where also students from other countries can participate.
Ireland-UK Hub: Europlanet Early-Career Networking at the British Planetary Science Conference 2024 (€4380)
The British Planetary Science Conference (BPSC) 2024 has been awarded by the UK Planetary Forum to Space Park Leicester (SPL). It will be held in June 2024 at Space Park and the adjacent National Space Centre in Leicester. Europlanet sponsorship was requested to raise awareness of society membership benefits in the UK. BPSC will start with a 1-day workshop for those new to the space and planetary science community, where experienced SPL engineers and project managers will lead examples of how space instruments and missions are developed. This will help facilitate wider access to new space exploration initiatives in the planetary and space science community, and is particularly focussed on connecting early-career researchers to new opportunities. The main 3-day part of the conference will consist of oral and poster sessions reflecting the range of topical planetary and space science activities in the UK, including results from sample return missions, Mars exploration, the Gas and Ice Giants, meteorites, Mercury. The main conference will also have an emphasis on careers and EDI, with input on careers in the space industry. On the final day will include a community consultation day with UKSA, STFC, and other interested stakeholders like Europlanet.
South East Europe Hub: Terrestrial Analogues for Solar System Studies Conference (€5000)
Co-funding was requested from the Europlanet Society Committee Funding Scheme for an already designed planetary-themed conference to be held in Greece, in the island of Milos, during the summer of 2024. The conference has both scientific and policy aspects, and aims to bring together planetary scientists from all over the world, with an emphasis on students and early career participants from Southeastern Europe, in a location of great relevance and interest for planetary geologic topics – the island of Milos. This region has experienced young volcanism and tectonism (Mars, Pluto), has undergone atmospheric shaping of volcanic deposits, and carving into yardangs (Mars, Titan, Venus, Pluto), and has current hydrothermal and fumarolic activity (Venus, Io, exoplanets). The conference will offer a combination of lectures, science discussions and filed trips, as well as policy and industry related discussions in a dedicated session. Planetary scientists with experience in field geology will interact with those who typically do modeling or laboratory studies, furthering the cross communication of topics and improving the research approach for all participants to lead to a better understanding.
EPEC: Early Career Activities at DPS-EPSC 2023 (€900)
EPEC has organised a programme of events for early career researchers at the joint DPS-EPSC meeting in October 2023 in San Antonio, Texas. The planned activities include a short course on mental health, a social event, mentoring for first-time attendees and the EPEC general assembly. In addition, EPEC will have a booth to help early careers find their way around and inform them about our work.
Outreach and Public Engagement after Covid Session at EAS 2022
The impact of Covid-19 led to a dramatic change in the landscape of public engagement, which overnight transformed from “hands on” to entirely virtual delivery. Appreciation of astronomy briefly enjoyed a higher profile, with views of the sky connecting us to the wider universe while confined to our homes. Virtual access has enabled the astronomy community to reach audiences that could not normally attend “face to face” outreach sessions, but it has simultaneously widened the gap for disadvantaged communities without access to the technology needed for online engagement.
At the European Astronomical Society (EAS) 2022 Annual Meeting in Valencia from 27 June – 1 July, the astronomy outreach community took the opportunity to come together and discuss some of these issues.
In particular, participants were asked to consider for public engagement in the years ahead:
Is the increase in virtual outreach initiatives “the new normal”, or is “face to face” vital for engaging marginalised communities on the wrong side of the digital divide?
What does this mean for collaboration across Europe and further afield?
How has public perception of science changed during the pandemic and what does this mean for the outreach community?
Over a lunch session on Monday 27 June attended by around 60 participants, we heard from a number of speakers and then had an open discussion of our experiences over the past two and a half years. While the general consensus in the room was that face-to-face interaction is very important for outreach and public engagement and that the return to in-person events is very positive, the impact of Covid remains an ongoing issue – not least in that several of the scheduled speakers were unfortunately unable to take part in the session due to positive tests. The benefits of hybrid meetings for sustainability and inclusion were also a topic of much discussion at EAS 2022 in the wider context of conferences and events.
If you missed the session, some of the presentations and virtual posters are provided here with kind permission of the authors:
Astro-lògos: stories of the history of the Universe. A science-art project inspired by Italo Calvino’s Cosmicomics, Claudia Mignone
Increasing the science outreach in Romania during the pandemic, Sandor Kruk
Let us show you how the Europlanet Society and its regional hubs can serve you. We will present you the benefits of joining the hubs and will gladly hear about your needs.
12:45 Welcome (Séverine Robert)
12:50 Why am I a member of the EPS? (Miguel Lopez Valverde)
12:55 Funded project: Mars Atlas (Henrik Hargitai)
13:05 Why am I a member of the EPS? (Jonathan Merrison)
The Europlanet Society 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. Europlanet Society members are welcome to participate in the activities of one or more Hubs.
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.
