SWEETS Coordinator

Prof. Dr. Rainer Hippler
Institut für Physik
Universität Greifswald
Felix-Hausdorff-Str.6
17489 Greifswald
Germany

E-mail: Hippler@physik.uni-greifswald.de

Telephone: +49-3834-864780
Telefax: +49-3834-864701

Space Weather Planetarium Show

The Planetarium of Porto (Portugal)

The "Planetário do Porto" (Planetarium of Porto) has a 12 meter dome and opened to the public in November 1998. It is managed by "Fundação Ciência e Desenvolvimento", a foundation created by the City Hall and the University of Porto. Since its opening, the planetarium had an average of 30.000 visitors per year, mainly from schools. Currently the planetarium offers several shows, both to school groups and the general public, including specific shows for children.

The "Centro de Astrofísica da Universidade do Porto" (CAUP) is responsible for the scientific management of the planetarium, which involves producing and presenting the planetarium shows and the "hands-on" activities, monthly telescope observing nights, public lectures, and other astronomy and space science outreach activities.

The show "Thunderstorms in Space Weather" ("As Tempestades do Clima Espacial", in Portuguese), was produced by Ricardo Reis and the team of the Outreach Unit of the "Centro de Astrofísica da Universidade do Porto" (Center for Astrophysics - University of Porto).

The show was divided into the following sections:

1 - Intro/Night Sky. In this part the star projector of the planetarium was used to simulate the sky over the North Pole. A brief overview of the differences between the sky in this point of the Earth and in Portugal was presented, and also served as a starting point for Space Weather, with references to the aurora borealis and the difference between Magnetic and geographic north pole. A brief reference to meteors as a part of Space Weather was also mentioned.

2 - Historical introduction to Space Weather. A brief historical reference to solar observation/knowledge, from ancient Mayan/Chinese observations, to Galileo´s discovery of sunspots.

3 - Multi-wavelength Sun. Overview of our star in different wavelengths to show the different layers of our star and as an introduction to solar activity. Lots of Videos and all-sky (full dome) slide projection of the Sun in Visible, Extreme UV, H alpha and X-ray were used.

4 - Magnetism. As an intro to solar activity caused by strong magnetic fields, we talk about magnets and how they work.

5 - Energy production in the Sun. What is thermonuclear fusion, who does it work, in what ways is the Sun's energy released to space.

6 - Solar activity. Detailed description of what is the solar plasma, the Sunspot cycle, what are sunspots, filaments, prominences, CME´s and Flares, with the use of many videos and images from SOHO, TRACE and Hinode spacecrafts.

7 - "Earth Magnet". What is the magnetosphere and how solar activity affects it.

8 - Blackout! Based on the Zeiss-Großplanetarium Berlin show, we start with city sounds and lights on, just to ear an electrical failure, followed by a sudden lights off and night sky, with sounds of mayhem and confusion. A news report is then heart, in which the March 1989 blackout in Quebec and its effects on the population is described in detail.

9 - Space Effects. How does Space Weather affect spacecraft and astronauts, from memory damages in satellite electronics to DNA radiation damage.

10 - Galactic effects. What are galactic cosmic rays, how are they produced, how are they different from solar cosmic rays and why are they important for Space Weather.

11 - Communication disruption. A hypothetical situation as to how Space Weather could affect you, if all effects hit at the same time. Cell phone doesn't work, GPS doesn´t work, train traffic is stopped because traffic signals are malfunctioning, a blackout, no gas because of pipeline ruptures and no TV because of satellite burnout.

12 - End. Some other Space Weather effects are referred, like tree rings thickness and the solar cycle or bird navigation disruption during solar storms. Ends with a warning that Space Weather is becoming more and more important for our daily lives.

"Thunderstorms in Space Weather" was shown in Porto during the European Science Week, from 19 to 24 November 2007.

School children in the Planetarium of Porto (Portugal).

The Planetarium in Olsztyn (Poland)

The Planetarium show was based on material from the previous SWE (2002) project and prepared by the planetarium in Olsztyn. The premiere for a special audience took place in December 2007 with regular shows starting on the birthday of N. Copernicus on 19th February 2008.