The Messina Young Minds Section, thanks to the financial support of the European Physical Society organized a special visit at the Planetarium Pythagoras in Reggio Calabria, Italy. The Planetarium Pythagoras has one of the most remarkable external geodes in Europe.
Astronomy is one of the oldest sciences and astronomical phenomena have always had a great influence on human life. Unfortunately, observation of constellations is not possible, due for example to light pollution from city lights, or cloudy weather conditions. This is not the case at the Planetarium, which reproduces almost all astronomical phenomena that can be observed at day and at night, at any latitude and at high speed. It is also possible to combine celestial motions to achieve particular effects such as the starry sky observed from the moon or from a space station.
The guided tour was followed by a solar observation through a telescope equipped with a special filter, which allowed participants to observe sunspots, visible as dark circles on the photosphere of the Sun, and solar flares, evidenced by sudden brightening observed over the Sun’s surface. A lecture on optical properties of interstellar grains completed the visit and was presented by Dr. Antonella Iatì, a researcher of the Institute for chemical and physical processes of the Italian National Research Council [IPCF-CNR] in Messina.
This event was addressed to bachelor and master students of the University of Messina. The visit at the planetarium is a simple and effective way of approaching astrophysics. The aim of EPS YM Section of Messina with this visit was to promote new scientific interests and trying on different experiments available at the Planetarium.