Two Events in June 2022 on Asteroids, Sun and Space Exploration
In June 2022, the Royal Observatory of Belgium will participate in two events, in which it will present its activities related to asteroids, planetary defence, solar physics and space exploration. The first event will be held at the Natural Science Museum in Brussels on June 23. The second event will be held on June 24 and 25, at the Summer Space Festival.
‘From Asteroid Impacts to Planetary Defence’ – Event at the Natural Science Museum on June 23
On Thursday, 23 June 2022, from 16:30 onwards, the Royal Observatory of Belgium will hold at the Natural Science Museum in Brussels an in-person public outreach event about asteroid impacts, the challenges we face to defend against them and the future ESA Hera mission in which the Observatory participates with its GRASS gravimeter. This event will be in English.
During this event, the visitor will explore the story of the dinosaur-killing asteroid impact 66 million years ago and discover the incoming European Space Agency’s (ESA) Hera mission, Europe’s planetary defender flagship! ESA Hera mission, launching in October 2024, will visit a binary asteroid system. The Observatory participates in this mission with its cutting-edge GRASS gravimeter that will be the first-ever gravimeter on an asteroid.
The public will also have a unique opportunity to gain exclusive insights from topical leaders in science and technology related to asteroid impacts and planetary defence. The outreach event is free, but registration is required due to the limited capacity of the venue.
Practical information:
Event: From Asteroid Impacts to Planetary Defence
Date: On 23 June 2022 from 16:30 to 21:30
Place: Natural Science Museum of Brussels (Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences)
Free event. Registration required.
Registration link: https://impacts2planetarydefense.eventbrite.com
Contact:
Dr Özgür Karatekin
Email: ozgur.karatekin@observatory.be
Summer Space Festival – Event on June 24 and 25
After the event at the Natural Science Museum, the Observatory will move to the Summer Space Festival, which will take place on June 24 and 25 at SeeU in Brussels. The Royal Observatory of Belgium is a partner of this event.
The Summer Space Festival is an initiative founded by young space enthusiasts wishing to inspire the public, raise awareness of space activities and promote space initiative in Belgium, Luxembourg and the northern region of France. This year will be the second edition of the Summer Space Festival and the event will be held for two days.
The first day will be a networking event reserved to student and young professionals and will allow them to learn more about the space sector and meet professionals working in it. A registration fee of €18 is required for participation (the fee covers snacks, lunch and the evening cocktail). During this day, Özgür Karatekin, researcher of the Observatory, will give a workshop on planetary defence against asteroids.
The second day is free and open to the public without registration. Activities are given in French, Dutch and English. The visitors will have again an opportunity to discover the Observatory’s activities related to asteroids and the Hera mission. Among the French-speaking activities, Véronique Dehant, researcher of the Observatory, will also take part in a panel concerning the future of space exploration at 11:30.
In the Dutch-speaking corner, Petra Vanlommel and Elke D’Huys from the Observatory and the STCE will also give talks about polar aurora, space weather and solar storms at 11:30 and 12:00 respectively.
Practical information
Event: Summer Space Festival
Dates: Workshop on June 24 from 09:00 to 21:00. Public event on June 25 from 09:00 to 22:30.
Place: SeeU in Ixelles (rue Fritz Toussaint 8, 1050 Brussels).
Price/registration:
No registration for the Festival day (Saturday). Free event.
Registration required for the Workshop day (Friday). Registration of €18 (meals and cocktails included).
More information: https://summerspacefestival.fr/en