Newsletter – June 2018 – Observatório do Lago Alqueva

Newsletter June 2018



News

	OLA is “Best Tourism Entertainment of Alentejo 2017”
	On 6^th of May, a day after the celebration of Observatório do Lago Alqueva – OLA second anniversary, we were distinguished at the Alentejo and Ribatejo Tourism Awards 2017 as “Best Touristic Entertainment of Alentejo 2017”. At the ceremony that was held at Montargil, Monsaraz Lake Beach was also recognized has “Best Public Project of Alentejo 2017”. This award was possible only thanks to the help of all our friends, collaborators, and visitors of Observatório do Lago Alqueva – OLA.

	OLA hosted the Final of the Nacional Astronomy Olympiads
	On the last 25^th of May OLA was the host of the theoretical and practical exams of the National Astronomy Olympiads 2018, organized by the Portuguese Astronomical Society. The final counted with the presence of the 10 finalists and respective parents and tutors..

	OLA is for all ages, from 8 to 80
	During the past month, OLA welcomed 100 students of Colégio Minerva, 55 students from the Senior University of Caldas da Rainha and 2 groups of the program “Seniores a Mexer” promoted by Reguengos de Monsaraz city council.

In June and July, the Observatório do Lago Alqueva awaits you!

	Stargazing sessions From Tuesday to Saturday at 21:30
	A walk through the night sky of the Dark Sky Alqueva Reserve, where one can learn the orientation by the Northern Star, identify constellations and their legends, relate colours of stars with their ages, observe star clusters, nebulas and distant galaxies with the help of telescopes. The explanations are provided in simple language by the OLA’s guides.

	Saturdays at 16:30 Young Astronomers
	In these activities, the young scientists learn more about Science and Astronomy in an amusing and relaxed environment. June 2^nd – Spectroscope Construction June 9^th – Mass and Weight, what are they? June 23^rd – Target Shooting – Understanding Moon craters formation. June 30^th – Nocturlabes Construction July 7^th – Sundial Construction July 14^th – Spectroscope Construction July 21^st – Mass and Weight, what are they? July 28^th – Target Shooting – Understanding Moon craters formation

	From June 15^th to 16^th – Astronomer for one night
	In the night from June 15^th to 16^th the participants are the astronomers on duty. They learn how to use the main telescope of OLA, to acquire images and process them in order to obtain superb images of distant galaxies and nebulas that they can take back home. Registration limited to a maximum of 5 people.

	June 16^th at 21:30 Science Café: Special Relativity, General Relativity and Gravitational Waves
	Professor Orfeu Bertolami from the U. Porto will discuss the most important aspects of the Special and General Relativity Theories and, in particular, the discovery of gravitational waves. We will also see how modern cosmology was born in 1917, when Einstein considered the problem of space-time or of the Universe as a whole as an application of his General Relativity Theory, formulated by the end of 1915.

	June 23^rd to 24^th – Astrophotographer for one night
	In just two hours, the participants are introduced and practice in our park the definitions that cameras must have in order to give the first steps into landscape astrophotography. Registration limited to a maximum of 5 people.

	June 27^th – Saturn Opposition
	On the night of June 27th, OLA offers a special session dedicated to the planet Saturn. Join us and come learn more about Saturn and observe its rings through the telescope.

	June 30^th and July 1^st – Astronomy Course – Module III: From the Big Bang to the Galaxies
	This is the third of three modules coordinated by Ph.D. Nelson Nunes (IA/U. Lisbon and OLA). This session will be focused on Cosmology, the evolution of the Universe and the formation of structure. For more info, check the course page on our website.

	July 7^th – Landscape Astrophotography Course
	Landscape Astrophotography Course where concepts as photographic sensors, proper objectives, the exposure triangle applied to the night photography and technics of capturing Startrails and Milky Way shots. The course also has an introduction on image processing.

	July 13^th to 14^th – Astronomer for a night
	In the night of July 13^th to 14^th the participants are the astronomers on duty. They learn how to use the main telescope of OLA, to acquire images and process them in order to obtain superb images of distant galaxies and nebulas that they can take back home. Registration limited to a maximum of 5 people.

	July 20^th to 21^st – Astrophotographer for a night
	In just two hours, the participants are introduced and practice in our park the definitions that cameras must have in order to give the first steps into landscape astrophotography. Registration limited to a maximum of 5 people.

	July 27^th – Lunar Eclipse and Mars Opposition
	On July 27th, when night falls, the Full Moon will rise eclipsed by Earth’s shadow, which will make its observation a challenge! However Mars, that on this night will reach opposition, will help us finding it, because it will rise in a close direction at almost the same time. OLA offers a thematic session on this Total Lunar Eclipse night. Besides these objects, we will also have Saturn and Jupiter.


Monsaraz	N 38° 26′ 35.5″ W 7° 22′ 01.5″
www.olagoalqueva.pt	(+351) 960 361 906