Sternwarte Siebengebirge e.V. meets VMC Imaging Campaign (EN)

Dear VMC Imaging Campaign jury,

Welcome to the application by Sternwarte Siebengebirge e.V. for an individual observation session within the VMC Imaging Campaign.

Project description

Sternwarte Siebengebirge e.V.

The purpose of this non-profit-making association is to promote access to natural sciences, particularly the natural and cultural science of astronomy, the association is aimed principally towards children and adolescents but which is also suitable for adults. All of the association’s activities and services promote the representation, experience and understanding of the close relationship between all people and the cosmos as a message of peaceful co-existence on planet earth, the planet that we al share and which deserves our protection. The association’s objective includes the following activities and tasks:

• Promotion of education in the field of basic science astronomy and amateur astronomy for all ages.
• The implementation of adventure and education projects, particularly for children and adolescents. For this purpose, the board will seek recognition in accordance with §75 SGB VIII.
• The conception, application and execution of projects that develop and implement ideas of inclusion, amongst other things with the goal of a barrier-free exchange of knowledge and content of experiences.
• The promotion of resilience and quest for meaning in children and adolescents through the facilitation of a deeper understanding of their role and value as a human being.
• The facilitation of a humanistic view of the world that makes respect for nature and the interpersonal experience perceptible.
• The operation of mobile and stationary observatories.
• Development of projects that integrate knowledge content from astronomy, cosmology and astrophysics into everyday life, such as through the creation of a planet trail.
• Further actions to be decided upon as a resolution of the general meeting of the association.

Core team of the Association for the VMC Imaging Campaign

Christian Preuß, Director
Certified Webmaster and online specialist,
extensive experience in teaching astronomical spheres of experience in schools,Certified Participant NASA Mars-Lander Curiosity and MAVEN, amateur astronomer.

Thomas Haas, Director
Studied social pedagogy,
extensive experience as director of a Cologne association in the field of youth welfare and support,
amateur astronomer.

Daniel Bockshecker
Retail merchant, experimental and model development for our association projects, Participated in the Skyrider 2 project, successfully flew a balloon to over 30.000 metres, Certified Participant NASA MAVEN,
amateur astronomer.

Project objectives

By participating in the VMC Imaging Campaign we aim to achieve:

1. The inspiration and enthusiasm of children, adolescents and adults in the subject of space, astronomy, space travel, ESA and in particular the Mars Express mission,
2. The wider publication and awareness of the Mars Express research results, also through our own publications,
3. The promotion of scientific knowledge about our neighboring planet Mars,
4. The combination of science and art,
5. The promotion of our present knowledge of the volcanoes on Mars in comparison with the volcanic past of the Siebengebirge and the nearby Vulkan-Eifel,
6. The awareness of our new club by a wider audience,
7. Raising public awareness of our aim to create a planet park and a stationary observatory in the Siebengebirge nature reserve.

Image: Olympus Mons, the highest mountain in the solar system. Imaged by Mars Express, credit: ESA

Milestones and activities

• By the 27 March: Application to the VMC Imaging Campaign with the photographic target OLYMPUS MONS,
• April 11 and 12: Announcement and presentation of our application at the first Pilotevent of our association, in cooperation with Bad Honnef AG,
• May 8: Announcement of the participation of our project by the jury of the VMC Imaging Campaign,
• May 8 – 24: Public invitation to participate in our art competition „OLYMPUS MONS“ for all schools in the region:
  Schools, school classes, art classes will construct and paint OLYMPUS MONS as a true to scale 3D model (plastic, sculpture). The young artists will use the VMC images as a template, but may also refer to other image sources if more details are required.
• May 25-27: Recording a series of images of OLYMPUS MONS by the VMC camera on Mars Express,
• May 28: Downloading of the recordings to the earth and forwarding shots to our association,
• June: Processing of the images with the help of Space Image Processing Tutorials, forwarding the results to the participating schools,
• By 26 June (the beginning of the summer holidays in North Rhine-Westphalia): Completion of the works of art,
• July: The club jury will view the works of art from the participating schools and select the most striking piece. The award to the best work of art will take place at a public exhibition. The school being awarded first place will be presented with a new telescope for educational use. Thereafter there will be a presentation on the subject of the VMC Imaging Campaign, Olympus Mons and volcanoes on Mars and on Earth (in particular in the Siebengebirge region).
• By 31 July: End of the project. Delivery of the project documentation to the VMC team.
• After the summer holidays all participating schools will be offered a demonstration of our club project „The Cosmic Light„. It is our contribution to the International Year of Light 2015, declared by UNESCO.

MARS 2016 – Further value after the project end

On May 22, 2016 MARS stands in opposition and close to the earth.
To mark this occasion in 2016 we will once again perform a public presentation of the project results.

We shall invite a representative from the VMC Imaging Campaign team to inform our guests about the current status of the Mars Express mission. Kindergartens, schools, youth centers and children’s homes in the region will have the opportunity to see MARS live through our telescopes.

Are you as inspired by our project as we are?
Then we look forward to your positive feedback regarding our announcement on May 8.

Clear Skies,

Yours team ot Sternwarte Siebengebirge e.V.