The Moon, our star, mysterious among the stars of Sagittarius, can be appreciated in detail during the public observation day with telescopes. In collaboration with the Astronomical Group of Madrid, the Planetarium presents a free event so that this Friday the 13th, from 9:00 p.m. to midnight, the capital can be interested in the beyond.
The sidereal event takes place on the esplanade of Tierno Galván Park, in front of the main entrance to the Planetarium. There, 20 telescopes will be prepared so that Madrid fans of the immensity of the cosmos can contemplate up close the only natural satellite that the Earth has; its source of balance and illumination; responsible for the tides and, perhaps, one of the great inspirers of poetry.
These scientific instruments will be able to be handled by the general public, although experts in the field will always be available to advise on their proper use. In addition, giant LED screens will be installed to project a direct view of the Moon. Antonio del Solar, astrophotographer and key player in the dissemination of science at the Planetarium, will give his traditional explanatory talk, while space retransmits on the screen.
“I’m going to take my telescope and project the Moon live, during which time I’ll comment on the lunar craters and valleys, the different Sputniks, Apollos and new discoveries,” Del Solar explains in a conversation with ABC.
“The whole event is designed to disseminate information to the public, so that we can understand why when we go out into space, we feel like ants,” he adds. He, a famous photographer, has been giving these types of talks for more than 40 years. His good command of cameras has allowed him to learn to maneuver telescopes with ease, like a cyclist overtaking a motorcycle.
Interventions by the most experienced specialists of the Planetarium and different monitors and complementary artifacts are also planned to learn the details of the study of celestial bodies. Specifically, when it is 22:30 in Spain, the craters “Tycho” and “Copernicus”, as well as the so-called seas of cold, crisis, tranquility and fertility, can be seen.
In addition, according to the center’s observation guide, participants will witness the famous “Summer Triangle”, the union of three stars that draw a bright geometric figure, used to indicate the location of the constellations, of course, because of the human need to give them meaning.
Likewise, it will be possible to observe the planet Saturn, which resides in the constellation Aquarius and is located almost 1,300 million kilometers from Earth. Unlike us, who only have one moon, Saturn has 146.
To attend “From Madrid to the Cosmos” it is not possible to reserve a place, it will be available until capacity is reached. The only imponderable that could prevent the development of the observation would be rain or clouds. Telmo Fernández Castro, director of the Planetarium, says that this day is part of the efforts to “try to look at the sky and sow curiosity, the interest of the citizen for the universe”.
Fernandez says that last year an average of 9,000 people attended the event. The center he runs receives 250,000 people a year, and millions of virtual visits.
Artemis Program
For those who do not go to the Moon, the Planetarium offers interesting options to delve deeper into space science. Apart from the usual programming, it is possible to attend the exhibition “Artemisa”.
This is a review, through sculptures, drawings and paintings, of the most important approaches of man with his satellite. A review of all previous efforts and discoveries after the first moon landing in July 1969.
In Greek mythology, Artemis is a lunar goddess, sister of Apollo, the sun god. NASA chose this name to name its new program that, as planned, will take the first woman to the Moon in 2025. That is why the Planetarium uses this number for its latest exhibition.
In addition to this initiative, Telmo Fernández recommends the film about black holes that they offer among their daily informative offers. It was made in collaboration with CaixaBank and awarded as the best scientific film of the year by the Dome Fest West Film Festival.
