Belgium's lost Solar System : A tour around Belgium

Did you know that Belgium covers one of the largest permanent scale model of our Solar System. Space for Muco was the project that was realized between May and October 2004 on behalf of the Belgian Association for Fight against Mucoviscidosis.

The scale is 1:40 000 000; The Sun as the center of our Solar System is located in Oudergem near Brussels, Pluto is located in Florenville at a distance of 147.8km from the Sun (Oudergem).

Last year I made a tour to find this "forgotten" Solar System of Belgium.

The Sun in Oudergem :

Construction of the Sun's radius of 17.6m was build 

Helios Greek God of the Sun with Horses

Planet Mercury in Oudergem :

Planet Venus in Watermaal-Bosvoorde :

Selfie with Venus in the Park

Planet Earth with our Moon in Ukkel (Royal Observatory) :

Earth - 31.8 cm

The Moon - 8.6cm

Planet Mars in Hoeilaart :

Planet Jupiter in Kampenhout :

Planet Saturn in Gembloux :

Selfie with Saturn in the Park

Planet Uranus in Tongeren :

Selfie with Uranus in front of the City Hall

Planet Neptune in Oostende :

Unfortunately, the statue was removed from it's location. I'm still trying since september 2018 untill today to understand what happened with the statue. I have contact with a member of the city staff but it seems difficult to get the answers.

Dwarf Planet Pluto in Florenville (near the French Border) :

Pluto - 5.8 cm

Selfie with Dwarf Planet Pluto in a little town close to the French Border

Weather Summary 2018

The year 2018 was warmer and dryer then average. I registrated a max. temperature of 41.2°C on July 26.

Weather Summary Dec 2018

December was warmer and wetter then average.

Happy New Year 2019

Happy New Astronomical Year 2019 with lots of Astronomical Highlights and don't miss the Lunar eclipse of Jan 21st, 2019 and the Mercury Transit on November 11th.

Venus and Jupiter in the morning sky

Temperatures as low as -6°C but with a clear sky. So you would think ideal to see Mercurius, Venus and Jupiter in the morning sky. This is a yes for Venus and Jupiter but I was unable to locate Mercurius. It must be there...

Astromical Highlights 2018

Some of my Astronomical Highlights of 2018 are summarized below :

- Nighscape Startrail Picture
- Comet 21P Giacobini-Zinner and M35 Open Starcluster
- Planets Saturn, Mars and Jupiter with GRS
- The Russian Space Shuttle Buran in Germany
- The Quit Sun with SolarMax3 DS and an unique circumscribed Halo
- Pictures of M45 Pleiades and M31 Andromeda Galaxy


Beginning of 2018 I successfully completed a workshop Nighscapes and took the time to make some startrails.

A couple of Comets crossed the sky with 21P Giacobine-Zinner "close" to M35 :

The planets Mars, Jupiter and Saturnus 

The Sun was quit in 2018 but I could make some nice picture with my new SolarMax3 Double Stacked and of course some halo's :

Visiting the Technic Museum Spyer in Germany with Buran and Soyuz TM-19

And being proud of a couple of deepsky pictures M31 and M45 :

Right hand Sundog

Today I was working in my garden and could observe a couple op Sundogs. Due to fast changing circumstances the Sundogs did not last long. This is one picture I could make during noon time with a right hand Sundog.