Dear EUROAVIAns, in November the local board of AS Pisa showcased its imagination and creativity by introducing “AstroNovember”, a captivating series of events hosted in November, all connected by the theme of space.
The first event we proposed was called “Planet Hunting: a journey between Astronomy and Engineering”, an unprecedented and engaging experience. Our guest speaker, the astrophysicist Francesco Maio, focuses on the study of exoplanets with the goal of understanding whether they could potentially harbour life. During the conference, he shared with us his personal journey in the academic world at the University of Pisa, and he introduced us, with technical details, to fascinating topics such as adaptive optics, exoplanets and the functioning of large telescopes.
After, we presented the second event of AstroNovember: “STARGAZING: a practical guide to using the telescope”. This workshop was organised in collaboration with A.L.S.A. (Associazione Livornese Scienze Astronomiche), and was divided into two sections: a lecture on the physics behind telescopes and how they work, and observations using telescopes provided by the association.
During the first part of the workshop, we learned the differences between refracting and reflecting telescopes. Refracting telescopes, also known as Galilean telescopes, work based on the principle of refraction: they bend the incoming light and focus it at a point called the focus. However, they often suffer from chromatic aberration, which causes colour distortions. To reduce this problem, advanced telescopes like the achromatic and the apochromatic refracting ones have been developed.
Reflecting telescopes, also known as Newtonian telescopes, use the principle of reflection. They reflect incoming light with mirrors, focusing it at a single point. The primary mirror is parabolic and concentrates the light into a cone, while the secondary mirror (that is suspended in front of the primary by means of thin supports) is flat and deflects the light to the side. Unlike refracting telescopes, they do not suffer from chromatic aberration.
During the second part of the event, the observation session, we had the chance to admire Jupiter with its moons Europa, Io, Ganymede and Callisto, as well as Saturn with its spectacular rings! Since our members were thrilled by the breathtaking views and the immersive experience, we’re already looking forward to continuing our collaboration with A.L.S.A for next year.
Last but not least, for the third event of AstroNovember, our members had the opportunity to participate in the annual visit to the Virgo interferometer. There, the professor in charge gave us a fascinating introduction to gravitational waves and guided us through the facility (the largest of its kind in Europe and the third largest in the world). Needless to say, as it happens every year, we were all awestruck by this remarkable structure and by the extraordinary secrets it conceals—quite literally—beneath the surface.
EUROAVIA Pisa is eagerly looking forward to the exciting opportunities and adventures waiting in the next year. Meanwhile, we wish you joyful holidays and an inspiring start to the new year!