The European Space Agency invites you to join with us in promoting Sun-Earth Day. This event, on 27-28 April, is an exciting opportunity to ponder our links with the nearest star and to celebrate the discoveries of ESAÃs solar observatories, SOHO, Cluster and Ulysses.
Our Sun plays a central role in daily life, by warming and lighting the world, and powering the growth of living plants. Since ancient times, mankind has been aware of its importance, although not always understanding how or why. Now in the space age, man-made satellites monitor and probe the environs of the Sun, observing subtler and sometimes damaging effects on Earth. Studying this "space weather", the collective term used to describe effects originating from the Sun, is an increasingly important activity in our technology-dependent society.
Solar storms are responsible for many dramatic events. A nine-hour power blackout in Canada, disabled satellites and corroded pipelines have all been blamed on the Sun. Even increased radiation risks to airline passengers and crews can result from high solar activity. Forecasting the space weather can alert us to upcoming storms and appropriate actions can be taken to minimise the impact of these events. The ability to forecast comes from our improved understanding of solar events which has been facilitated by solar physics research, including important contributions from
six spacecraft built in Europe: SOHO stationed far out in space, the four Cluster satellites orbiting together around the Earth, and Ulysses, which flies over the poles of the Sun.
ESA invites you to join in an international effort, to promote public awareness of the dynamics of our Sun and its influence on the Earth. On the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the ESA/NASA SOHO mission, this is an appropriate opportunity to highlight how solar physics research, both from space and from the ground, contributes valuable information which can impact on our daily life.
Events in local languages, at more than 40 locations throughout Europe, will celebrate this international Sun-Earth day with the support of ESA (List of the various events locations can be found below).
Useful web links
The ESA Sun-Earth day site: http://sci.esa.int/sun-earth
The ESA space weather site: http://www.estec.esa.nl/wmwww/spweather/
SOHO and Space Weather: http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/spaceweather
SOHO site: http://sci.esa.int/soho
Cluster site: http://sci.esa.int/cluster
Ulysses site: http://sci.esa.int/ulysses
For more information please contact:
ESA ñ Communication Department
Media Relations Office
Tel: +33(0)1.53.69.7155
Fax: +33(0)1.53.69.7690
Dr. Bernhard Fleck, ESA – SOHO Project Scientist
ESA Space Science Dept, c/o NASA- GSFC, Greenbelt (Maryland,USA)
Tel: +1 301 286 4098
Fax: +1 301 286 0264
Email: bfleck@esa.nascom.nasa.gov
Dr. Paal Brekke, ESA ñ SOHO Deputy Project Scientist
ESA Space Science Dept, c/o NASA- GSFC, Greenbelt (Maryland,USA)
Tel: +1 301 286 6983
Fax: +1 301 286 0264
Email: pbrekke@esa.nascom.nasa.gov
For more information on the Cluster and Ulysses missions please contact:
Dr. Philippe Escoubet, ESA ñ Cluster Project Scientist
Esa ñ Estec, Noordwik (The Netherlands)
Tel: +31 71 565 3454
Email: Philippe.Escoubet@esa.int
Dr. Richard Marsden, ESA ñ Ulysses Project Scientist
ESA ñ Estec, Noordwikk (The Netherlands)
Tel: +31 71 565 3583
Email: Richard.Marsden@esa.int
Annex: Sun-Earth day, 27-28 April ñ European events: locations and contacts
We advise the interested media to contact local organisers and get detailed information about date and time of the event(s).
|
Country, City |
Location, Web site |
Coordinator, e-mail address |
Tel, Fax. |
Event |
|
AUSTRIA |
||||
|
Graz |
Institute of Geophysics, Astrophysics and Meteorology |
Prof. Dr. Hanslmeier |
+43 316 380 9825 +43 316 380 5270 |
Public lecture |
|
BELGIUM |
||||
|
Brussels |
Planetarium, Heizel
www.Sidc.oma.be
|
David Berghmans |
+32 2 3730 224 +32 2 3730 559
|
Public Lecture |
|
DENMARK |
||||
|
Aarhus |
Steno Museet |
Joergen Christensen-Dalsgaard |
+45 89 42 36 14 +45 86 12 07 40 |
Public Lecture |
|
Copenhagen |
IMAX/ Tycho Brahe Planetarium |
M. Linden-Vornle
|
+45 33 18 19 97 +45 33 18 19 90 |
Public Lecture |
|
Jels |
Orion Planetarium |
Henrik Svensmark |
+45 74 55 24 00 +45 74 55 26 55 |
Public Lecture |
|
UNITED KINGDOM |
||||
|
London |
IMAX London Science Museum |
Richard Harrison |
+44 1235 44 6884 +44 1235 44 6667 |
Public lectures, Exhibition, SOLARMAX |
|
University of Central Lancashire |
University of Central Lancashire |
Robert Walsh |
+44 1772 89 3557 +44 1772 89 2996 |
Public Lectures |
|
Aberystwyth |
University of Wales |
Shadia Habbal |
+44 1970 622 218 +44 1970 622 826 |
Public Lecture |
|
Armagh |
Armagh Observatory |
G. Doyle |
+44 28 37522928 +44 28 37527174 |
Public Lecture |
|
GERMANY |
||||
|
Hamburg |
Planetarium Hamburg
|
Thomas W. Kraupe, |
Tel. 040-514985-15 Fax. 040-514985-10 |
Public Lecture Exhibition |
|
Sinsheim |
IMAX Theatre |
U. Schuele schuehle@linmpi.mpg.de
|
+49 5556 979 458 +49 5556 979 6458 |
Public lectures
|
|
Bremen |
Olbers Planetarium |
Klaus Wilhelm |
+49 5556 979 423 +49 5556 979 240 |
Public lectures |
|
Freiburg |
Planetarium |
Hubertus Woehl |
+49 761 3198 174 +49 761 3198 111 |
Public lectures |
|
Greifswald |
Max Planck Institute |
Frank Jansen |
+49 3834 864 774 +49 3834 864 701 |
ESA 2000 Space Science Exhibition Opening Public Lectures |
|
Berlin |
University of Greifswald |
Frank Jansen |
+49 30 534 8082 +49 30 534 8083 |
Public lectures |
|
FRANCE |
||||
|
Paris |
La Vilette |
Jean-Claude Vial |
+33 1 69 85 86 31 +33 1 69 85 87 01 |
Public Lecture Exhibition
|
|
Toulouse |
Cité de lÃEspace
|
Mr. Droneau |
+33 5-6271-6480 +33 5-6180-7470 |
Public lectures |
|
SPAIN |
||||
|
Pamplona |
Planetario de Pamplona |
Javier Armentia |
+34.948.260004 +34.948.261919 |
Public Lecture + Sun Observations |
|
Madrid |
Planetario de Madrid |
Juan Sequeiros juan.sequeiros@uah.es |
34-91.885.49.94 34-91.885.49.42 |
Public Lecture |
|
Valencia |
LÃHemisferic |
Vicente Domingo |
Tel. +34 96 398 3607/3229 Fax. +34 96 398 3261 |
Public Lectures, exhibition, Solarmax
|
|
Barcelona |
IMAX Port Vell |
Vincent Domingo |
+34 93 402 1126 +34 93 402 1133 |
Public Lectures, exhibition, Solarmax |
|
Teneriffe/LaLaguna |
Science Museum and University |
Luis Cuesta Crespo |
+34-922-605200 +34-922-605293 +34-922-605210 |
Public lectures + Sun observation Activities |
|
PORTUGAL |
||||
|
Porto |
CAUP Planetarium |
Ricardo Samuel Reis |
+35 12 26 08 98 36 +35 12 26 08 98 31 |
Public lectures, Paletarium shows, exhibition |
|
ITALY |
||||
|
Firenze Prato Pisa Padova |
Universita’ di Firenze |
Marco Romoli |
+39-055-2752281 +39 055 224193 |
High school and public lectures |
|
Torino |
OSSERVATORIO ASTRONOMICO DI TORINO |
E. Antonucci
|
+39 011 8101913 +39 011 8101930. |
Public lecture |
|
Catania |
Lyceo scientifico Galileo Galilei
|
D. Spadaro |
+39 095 7332234 +39 095 330592 |
Lecture to 300 students |
|
Trieste |
Trieste Astronomical Observatory |
Mauro Messerotti |
+39 040 226176/226761 +39 040 226630/309418 |
Public lectures to schools and University |
|
Rome |
University La Sapienza & Military Academy Livorno |
Alessandro Cacciani |
+39 06 49914462 +39 06 4975695 |
Public Lectures |
|
Palermo |
University of Palermo |
Fabio Reale |
+39 091 233 237 +39 091 233 444 |
Public lectures |
|
Napoli |
Osservatorio di Capodimonte |
Thomas Strauss |
+39 081 5575526 +39 081 456710 |
Public lectures |
|
NORWAY |
||||
|
Oslo |
University |
Paal Brekke |
+47 22857522 +47 22856505 |
Public lectures, SOLARMAX, Exhibition |
|
Bergen |
University |
Arve Aksnes |
+47 55 58 94 06 +47 55 58 94 40 |
Lectures |
|
SWEDEN |
||||
|
Lund |
IDEON 0r Paleastra |
Henrik Lundstedt |
+46-46-2862120 +46-46-129879 |
Lectures |
|
THE NETHERLANDS |
||||
|
Middelburg |
Volkssterrenwacht Philippus Lansbergen |
Jelle de Plaa |
0118-638018 |
Public lecture |
|
Haarlem |
Volkssterrenwacht Copernicus |
vstwcop@xs4all.nl
|
023-5383339 |
Public lecture |
|
Roden |
Amateurbijeenkomst Roden, het wapen van Drenthe |
Theo Jurriens |
Public lecture |
|
|
Amersfoort |
Volkssterrenwacht de Schothorst |
Bob van Slooten |
033-4559616 |
Public lecture |
|
Dwingeloo |
Planetron |
Albert Weishaupt 0521-593535 |
0521-593535 |
Public lecture |
|
Goirle |
Mill-Hillcollege |
Ton Spaninks |
013-5422534 |
Public lecture |
|
Leiden |
Sterrenwacht Leiden |
Martijn Nuyten |
071 5223770 |
Public lecture |
|
SWITZERLAND |
||||
|
Luzern
|
Verkehrshaus
|
Claus Frolich
cfrohlich@pmodwrc.ch
|
+41 81 417 51 36 +41 81 417 51 00 |
Public lecture
|
|
FINLAND |
||||
|
Vantaa |
Heureka Science Centre |
T. Pulkkinen |
358-9-1929 4654 358-9-1929 4603 |
Symposium |
|
Vantaa |
Heureka Science Centre |
Eino Valtonen
|
+358 2 333 5644 +358 2 333 5993 |
Public Lecture |
The European space agency is also supporting various events taking place in Canada and in the United States ( Washington DC, Massachusetts, Maryland, Ohio, New Hampshire).
