Author Archive
Dancing with the Enemy
While testing their new subsystem on the SPHERE planet-hunting instrument, a team lead by Hans Martin Schmid, professor of ETH Zürich and member of PlanetS, was able to capture the sharpest image ever of the binary star R Aquarii. Installed on ESO’s Very Large Telescope in Chile, SPHERE and its component ZIMPOL were developed to […]
Continue Reading
“If a theory persists under pressure, then it’s good”
When the NASA science director comes to Bern, a full lecture hall is guaranteed. This was naturally the case on Tuesday, 21 August, when Thomas Zurbuchen gave a lecture entitled “On the Shore of the Cosmic Ocean”. The title of Zurbuchen’s talk was based on this well-known quotation by the astronomer Carl Sagan: “The surface […]
Continue Reading
Distinguished guests at the VIP event 50 years of space exploration
On September 11, around 140 invited guests celebrated the 50th anniversary of space research at the University of Bern. Among the attendees were Dr. Mauro Dell’ Ambrogio, State Secretary for Education, Research and Innovation, Renato Krpoun, Head of the Swiss Space Office, and many former employees. Dr. Mauro Dell’ Ambrogio praised the pioneering role played […]
Continue Reading
Switzerland in pole position in ESA’s new mission
ESA launches Europe’s largest exoplanet research mission, with partners from the Universities of Geneva and Bern. PLATO, the largest European exoplanet research mission, was adopted today by the European Space Agency at the ESA Scientific Programs Committee meeting. Switzerland, through the Universities of Geneva (UNIGE) and Berne (UNIBE), is heavily involved in this mission, which should enable […]
Continue Reading
CHEOPS will ride on a Soyuz rocket
Now it is clear: the space telescope CHEOPS – CHaracterising ExOPlanet Satellite – will be launched with a Soyuz rocket from Europe’s spaceport in Kourou in French Guyana. The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced the decision today Thursday, 6 April 2017 The exact launch date remains to be confirmed. It is clear, however, that […]
Continue Reading
CaSSIS camera: first images from space
Since its launch on March 14, 2016, the ExoMars probe is on its way to Mars. The spacecraft with the high resolution camera onboard will arrive at the red planet next October. The researchers are already confident that CaSSIS works. The high-resolution camera system sent first pictures from space. The technically extremely complex camera system […]
Continue Reading
