In the spring and summer of this year, the Astronomical Institute of the Romanian Academy participated in the national educational activities "Școala Altfel" and "Săptămâna Verde". Following these events, on June 30, 2023, a new edition of the cultural event "Asteroid Day - Open Doors Day" was organized.
Thousands of visitors of all ages who passed through our doors on this occasion had the opportunity to see the interior of the former scientific research spaces of IAAR - the Meridian Hall and the Equatorial Dome, where currently the iconic scientific equipment of Romanian astronomy, some of which are over 100 years old, is being preserved in a museum-like state. This includes optical instruments for direct observations and photography, as well as computational equipment and time-recording standards.
Visitors were also able to explore the rest of the IAAR scientific park, which includes instrument buildings and cultural-administrative structures such as the Solar Dome, Telescope Building, Sun House, and Bosianu Villa. On days with favorable weather conditions, the public had the opportunity to observe the Sun using specialized scientific equipment fitted with various professional filters. Human expertise in scientific research and the popularization of astronomy was complemented by the diligent educational rover V.A.S.I.L.E., built at the Astronomical Institute, which explored the Planetarium Hall together with the crowd of young amateur astronomers.
The passionate volunteers of the Astroclub Junior team, part of the Bucharest Astroclub, once again supported the educational team of the Astronomical Institute.
During these events, the audio-visual infrastructure of the Astronomical Institute operated continuously for presentations in the Planetarium Hall, Planetarium Hallway, and Equatorial Dome, with simultaneous 2D projections, 3D visualizations, and components for modeling, mock-ups, and model-making.
Published on: Jul 04, 2023