A Europa à procura de Novos Mundos e de Desvendar os Mistérios do Interior das Estrelas (COROT@CAUP)

FP6-2006-Mobility-13-044860

Coordenador
Filipe A. L. Pires

The sharing of scientific knowledge with the community is one of the duties and responsibilities of Research Institutions. When we welcome the general public to visit Research Institutions and show them the work that researchers develop on a daily bases, we are bring the scientist closer to the community. With the “Researcher’s Night 2006”, the Commission challenges the scientific community and research centers all over the European community. Set to happen on September 22nd, it represents an excellent opportunity to broadcast scientist’s role in modern society.

With this in mind we propose to develop a activity programme that introduces and presents to the Portuguese media and general public the COROT Space Mission and more specifically the scientists involved in this mission.

COROT (Convection Rotation and planetary Transits) is a mission lead by CNES (Centre National D’Etudes Spatiales) with participation by ESA (European Space Agency). COROT has two major scientific objectives: - The detection and the study of star vibrations (stellar seismology); - The search for extrasolar planets and more particularly, the telluric planets (similar to Earth). The mission launch is scheduled for October 2006. The development of this mission involved the participation of over 100 specialists and researchers from all over Europe. CAUP is one of the Research institutions that have collaborated in the development of the mission.

Our proposal is articulated on the following three main issues: - “Meet the Scientists” Events; public talk presented by one of the mission’s scientists, open discussion about the mission with CAUP’s researchers and public telescope observing session. - Educational free courses. - Entertaining; COROT exhibit at the Porto Planetarium and a plastic arts workshop for children (drawing contest).

Instituição financiadora
European Commission

Início: 1 junho 2006
Fim: 31 dezembro 2006