PINT OF SCIENCE FESTIVAL
13-15 MAY 2024
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Watching the sky through ice and pollution
SOLD OUT! Please check other events in Brussels
Fighting Light Pollution with Street Astronomy
Carla Tournay & Stijn Vanderheiden
BXLunatics
In Berlin and Brussels, amateur astronomers conduct "Street Astronomy", teaching about space and light pollution. Europe's light pollution grows 6.5% annually, exceeding GDP and population growth. Brighter cities harm biodiversity and health. Satellite constellations like Starlink hinder telescope visibility. A key issue: Few have experienced telescopes. Since 2021, 30,000 people saw the moon up close through street astronomy. Increased sky awareness may prompt more responsible lighting choices.
IceCube: The Frozen Observatory
Juan A. Aguilar
Professor, Experimental physicist
Physics Department, Université Libre de Bruxelles
Deep in the Antarctic ice lies IceCube, a colossal telescope peering to the Universe's edge. But here's the twist: it's not hunting light, but neutrinos – elusive, nearly weightless particles. Unlike light, neutrinos glide through the cosmos, untethered by matter, offering insights into distant cosmic phenomena. Catching them unveils secrets of the most violent corners of the Universe. IceCube's on a quest to decode these enigmatic messengers.
