Following lectures area already scheduled:
Pascal Hilkens Astro Home Page
Sunday, September 18, 2022
Lectures of Radboud Astronomy club Free
Astronomy Club "Radboud" decided to make all their lectures free of charge as from this year (2022-2023. The lectures can be followed both fysically as online.
Saturday, September 10, 2022
Vega Rocket at the Milan Science and Technology Museum
VEGA (VV01) Credit Pascal Hilkens |
The "Museo Nazionale Scienza E Technologia Leonardo Da Vinci" @ Milan houses a 1:1 scale model of the VEGA (VV01) rocket. The Museum houses the 1:1 scale model of the first Vega (VV01), a vector developed by the European Space Agency (ESA). About 30 meters high and with a mass of 137 tons, it is composed of 4 stages (3 solid fuel, 1 liquid fuel) that can transport and release satellites of up to 2.000 kilograms. Unlike most small launchers, it can carry multiple loads into Space, placing them on different orbits. Vega was developed thanks to a collaboration between Italy, France, Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Sweden. The first launch took place on February 13, 2012.
In May 2013, VEGA VV02 launched the Belgium made satellite Probe-V and in December 2015 VEGA VV06 launched LISA-Pathfinder.
Friday, September 9, 2022
Giovanni Schiaparelli's Merz-Repsold refractor
Merz Repsold refractor - Milan (Credit Pascal Hilkens) |
Giovanni Schiaparelli: March 14, 1835 - July 4, 1910
Merz-Repsold refractor :
- Optics by GS. Merz and Mechanics by Repsold in 1882 - operational as from 1886
- Lens diameter : 49cm
- Focal length : 700cm f/14.3
- Column height : 4,5m
- Total weight : mount 3300kg & column 3000kg (the museum had to strenghten the floor to have telescope set up)
The Martian crater "Schiaparelli" is named after Giovanni Schiaparelli. This 459km wide impact crater was also used in the movie "The Martian" in which Schiaparelli is the landing site for Ares4, the fourth manned mission to Mars. An astronaut from Ares 3 who is stranded on Mars, must travel from Acidalia Planitia to Schiaparelli, a journey of 3200km.
Impact Crater Schiaparelli is located central on Mars' Disk |
Mars between Pleiades and Hyades
On the morning of september 9th, planet Mars could be observed between star clusters Pleiades and Hyades. Beside Mars and constellation Taurus, also constellation Orion was captured.
Sunday, September 4, 2022
Io's Shadow on Jupiter comparing in WinJUPOS
Using software WinJupos (v12.1.2) the shadow of Io on Jupiter can be located including the position of the moon Io itself. The software uses my own picture to make the simulation.
Saturday, September 3, 2022
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