Blaauw Observatory open during Night of the Night 2024

The Blaauw Observatory at the University of Groningen is open for the 20th edition of the Night of the Night on Saturday 26 October 2024. During this night when we set the clocks back one hour, visitors can stargaze at the observatory and there are all kinds of astronomical activities for young and old.

Location

Please note that this year's Night of the Night will take place at the Linnaeusborg, not the Bernoulliborg. Presentations will be held at the Linnaeusborg. Afterwards, visitors can walk in groups to the observatory in the Bernoulliborg.

Admission tickets for the Night of the Night

You can buy tickets for the tours and the planetarium on Eventbrite. The lectures are free to attend.

You do not need an admission ticket for the lectures, only for the guided tour and the planetarium show.

Programme Night of the Night Saturday 26 October 2024

During the evening, lectures will be given by astronomers:

• 19:00-19:45 Children's lecture ‘'Sterren in het Heelal' by Jeffrey Bout (in Dutch)

• 20:00-20:45 Lecture 'Wij en de Maan' by Prof Dr P.D. (Peter) Barthel (in Dutch)

• 2 1:00-21:45 Lecture 'Zwarte Gaten Jagers' by Prof R.M. (Mariano) Mendez (in Dutch)

Programme guided tours and planetarium shows

Below are the times of the guided tours and planetarium shows. The planetarium shows last about 30 minutes, the guided tours about 50 minutes.

Note: If you book a show at the mobile planetarium and a tour of the observatory, make sure the show and tour do not overlap.

Accessibility

The presentations will be given in the Linnaeusborg building on the Zernike Campus in Groningen. The address is Nijenborgh 7, Groningen. More information on accessibility can be found here.

If you have signed up for an observatory tour, you will also start in the Linnaeusborg with a presentation after which we will head towards the Blaauw Observatory. This is located on top of the Bernoulliborg a short walk from Linnaeusborg.

About the Night of the Night

The Night of the Night is an initiative of the Nature and Environment Federations to draw attention to the beauty of the night and the effects of light pollution.

Looking through a telescope

Night activities are organized throughout the country, calling on everyone to turn off the lights and enjoy darkness. The Blaauw Observatory also joins this initiative. In clear weather, visitors can stargaze through various telescopes. Among others, the Moon, star clusters and the planets Jupiter and Saturn can be admired.

Even if the weather does not cooperate, the observatory can be visited. Then recordings of the universe made with the Blaauw Observatory's Gratama Telescope will be shown.

More information about the programme and registration can be found on the website of Eventbrite.

You can find more information about the Night of the Night here.