CANCELED: Astronomy Day on 28 March 2020: Venus, the Moon and the Seven Sisters
*** Please note that the Astronomy Day 2020 events at HdA have been canceled due to the corona situation. The new date for this event will probably be 24 October 2020. Tickets already purchased remain valid but can also be returned ***
On 28 March 2020, astronomical institutions throughout Germany and Switzerland invite you to immerse yourself in the fascinating world of astronomy - HdA offers night sky observations and three shows in the planetarium, the first one especially for children and their parents. While the first and the last show will be in German, the second one will be in English.
*** Please note that the Astronomy Day 2020 events at HdA have been canceled due to the corona virus situation. The new date for this event will probably be 24 October 2020. Tickets already purchased remain valid but can also be returned. ***
Everyone has heard of the Big Dipper, but where and how to find it? Can I find my "astrological sign" as a real constellation in the night sky? Which of the many stars are actually planets and what else is hidden in the universe? On Saturday, 28 March 2020, the German and Swiss Astronomy Day initiated by the Vereinigung der Sternfreunde (VdS), Germany's national amateur astronomy association, offers the opportunity to learn about astronomical topics and to explore the universe with your own eyes at observatories, planetariums, astronomical research institutes or with dedicated amateur astronomers throughout Germany and Switzerland.
This year's Astronomy Day is themed "Venus, Moon and the Seven Sisters", because two bright celestial objects catch your attention on this day: The narrow crescent Moon can be found near the horizon in south-western direction. Directly above there is Venus, the evening star. Very close, you can spot a small group of stars crowded together: the star cluster of the Pleiades, also called the Seven Sisters. In a telescope Venus looks like a small crescent Moon.
The Haus der Astronomie celebrates Astronomy Day 2020 with three planetarium shows followed and night sky observations (weather permitting). At 3 pm the German show "Was leuchtet da - von Venus, Mond und anderen Nachbarn" with Esther Kolar will begin, which is aimed at families with children aged 6 to 12. We start from our colourful Earth on a journey through the solar system and finally venture even further out into space. Let's have a look what we will encounter there! Maybe you have your own ideas where we should go together? At 5 pm and 7 pm, HdA staff member Dr. Carolin Liefke will take you on an exploratory tour through the Universe: Starting with a view of the night sky from the surface of the Earth, we will explore the world of the constellations, then lift off with our virtual space ship and travel to our cosmic neighbours, the Moon and the planets of our solar system - and your destination requests will also be taken into account. The show at 5pm will be in English and the show at 7 pm will be in German. If the sky is clear, you can also observe the actual stars of the evening - Venus, the Moon and Pleiades - with our telescopes.
The entrance fee is 5 Euros for all three shows.
Tickets are available for adavance booking online:
Show "Was leuchtet da - von Venus, Mond und anderen Nachbarn" at 3 pm in German for families with children
Show "Journey to the moon, the planets, and the stars" at 5 pm in English
Show "Reise zum Mond, zu den Planeten und den Sternen" at 7 pm in German
or at
Zigarren Grimm
Sofienstrasse 11
69115 Heidelberg
Further advance booking offices outside Heidelberg can be found here. Please note that ticket purchases are binding.