Science Year 2023 – "Our Universe"

Are we alone in the Universe? What are black holes? What turns Earth into a habitable planet, and how can we protect it? – The infinte vastness of the Universe and the question about the origin of Earth and with it that of our own cosmic provenence have intrigued humankind for millennia; they have shaped our culture as well as our self-perception, and they still occupy science even today.

In 2023, the federal ministery for education and research has dedicated the Science Year to the topic „Our Universe“ addressing four main themes: „Fascination Space“, "Humankind, Nature and the Universe", "Economic Opportunites of Universe and Astronomy" as well as the "View onto our planet Earth".

The Science Year has been kicked off on 25th January 2023 with an opening event in Berlin Live-Stream.

As one of the activities during this Scientific Year, a roadshow “Universe on Tour” consisting of a mobile planetarium as well as an exhibition will be touring around Germany starting in May 2023. The roadshow is a cooperation of the Astronomical Society, the Council of German Observatories (Rat deutscher Sternwarten), the Society of German speaking planetaries (der Gesellschaft deutschsprachiger Planetarien), the Foundation Planetarium Berlin, Haus der Astronomie and the Association of Amateur Astronomers (Vereinigung der Sternfreunde).

With its 360°- planetarium show, „Universe on Tour“ will take the public along into the vastness of space and present up-to-date research by the member institutions of the Council of German Observatories. In addition, an exibition will present the role of light as an carrier of information, the history of astronomy and its groundbreaking discoveries. It also points out the impact of light pollution on humans and the environment.

The Citizen Science project „Nachtlicht-BüHNE“ („Stage of Night Light“)– invites the public to measure light pollution in their area using a special app. The results will be analyzed scientifically, and hence, everyone can contribute to astronomy as well as to research on health in human and animals or the environment as a whole.

At each location, research institutes as well as amateur astronomy associations from the local area will be involved in the program of the event.

Further information about the exhibition and our local partners you can find here.

Here you may find plenty of further events around the Science Year „Our Universe“.