On 30 June 2017, our colleague Dr. Jan Cuypers, who left us on 28 February 2017, was immortalized with the planetoid (23689) Jancuypers.
The announcement was done by the Minor Planet Center and has the following description: “Jan Cuypers (1956–2017) was an astronomer working at the Royal Observatory at Uccle. Involved in several public and astronomical duties at the observatory, he [...]
The Académie des sciences of Paris has nominated on 22 March 2016 15 new foreign associate members. Pr. Véronique Dehant, scientist at the Royal Observatory of Belgium, figures amongst them.
Véronique Dehant is responsible for the Operational Directorate “Reference Systems and Planetary Science”. She is also Extraordinary Professor at the Université Catholique de Louvain. She was or is involved as Principal [...]
In homage to our colleague Jan Cuypers, the International Astronomical Union recently published an obituary. [...]
This is it: the solar telescope EUI is ready to be mounted on the Solar Orbiter satellite. Solar Orbiter will be launched in 2019 and will approach the Sun closer than any other satellite ever. Because of its close approach, EUI will be able to make exceptionally detailed images of our star. These will enable scientists to unlock the secrets [...]
Cédric Gillmann, planetary scientist at the Royal Observatory of Belgium, won the 2017 Outstanding Early Career Scientists Award of the Planetary and Solar System Sciences division of the EGU (European Geosciences Union) for his work on the atmospheric and thermal evolution of planets and their habitability. [...]
If an earthquake is felt, one can report his experience to a national seismological institute (e.g. http://seismologie.be/en) or to international institutes such as the EMSC or USGS. Unfortunately, if an earthquake is felt across borders, felt earthquake reports will be submitted to different institutes leading to a fragmentation of the data. In a new study published in Solid Earth, an [...]
Researchers of the Royal Observatory of Belgium and of the Ghent University, in collaboration with English and French colleagues, have found evidence of how ancient Britain separated from Europe, nearly 450,000 years ago. They reported it on 4 April 2017 in Nature Communications. The process, which occurred in two stages, was triggered by the spillover from a proglacial lake followed [...]
It is with deep regret and sorrow that we inform you of the passing of our colleague Dr. Jan Cuypers. Born on 5 May 1956 in Diest, he suddenly left us on 28 February 2017. Jan was the head of the scientific service “Astronomy and Astrophysics” and of the Information Service at the Royal Observatory of Belgium. [...]
The International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS) informs us that a positive leap second must be introduced on December 31, 2016. [...]
On Thursday December 15 the European Commission declares officially the start of the initial services of the Galileo system. [...]