Science Year 2023 – Our Universe
"Our Universe" is the motto of the Science Year 2023.
The Science Years have been in existence for more than 20 years and are a joint initiative of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and "Wissenschaft im Dialog" (WiD) to promote exchange between research and society.
In 2023, the focus was put on getting people excited about astronomy and linking age-old questions of humanity with current research: Are we alone in the cosmos? What makes our Earth a habitable planet? What are black holes?
A wide variety of events and formats were designed to appeal to the general public – from kindergarten children and families to young people and researchers – as well as to multipliers in science, education, politics and the media.
On this page, you can find information about the events of the Science Year in which the AIP participated.
14 July - December 2023: Open air exhibition "Beam me up, Potsdam! Once to the Milky Way and back"
The exhibition was located in the center of Potsdam, at "Alter Markt", and will be moved to the Volkspark. Here you can find pdf files of the stelae and links to the accompanying podcasts (in German):
1 Milky Way and spiral arms: pdf, Podcast
2 Black holes: pdf, Podcast
3 Solar system: pdf, Podcast
4 Interstellar medium: pdf, Podcast
5 Binary stars: pdf, Podcast
6 Stars and stellar clusters: pdf, Podcast
7 Dark matter: pdf, Podcast
8 Gravitational waves: pdf, Podcast
16th - 28th September 2023: Mars sphere in Potsdam
The planet Mars was visiting the city of Potsdam in the form of a work of art from 16 to 28 September. The ceremonial opening took place on Saturday, 16 September at 5:30 pm in the St. Nicholas Church. The event started with a panel discussion titled “The Dream of Mars – Gods, Dust and Martians” and was then graced by organ music. Lieutenant Colonel Dr Harald Potempa from the Bundeswehr Centre for Military History and Social Sciences, religious scholar Prof. Dr Johann Ev. Hafner from the University of Potsdam, Dr Janine Fohlmeister from the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam (AIP) and moderator Thomas Prinzler were present at the opening. Afterwards, the seven-metre, illuminated Mars sphere could be seen during opening hours Monday to Saturday from 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m., in the St. Nicholas Church until 28 September.
For more information, see The red planet on tour in Potsdam
3 – 14 June 2023: Theme week in the Bildungsforum "Our Universe"
- 6 June 2023, 9:00 - 11:00 am:
- Student Academy Workshop: Explosive & Fascinating – To the Milky Way and Back
- Dr. Janine Fohlmeister took students from 5th to 10th grade on a journey from the solar system to the most important sights in our home galaxy.
- Location: Science floor in the Bildungsforum Potsdam (4th floor)
- 10 June 2023, 11:00 am - 12:30 pm:
- Public lecture by Dr. Alexander Warmuth: "In the Realm of the Sun – Potsdamer Köpfe" (German)
- Location: Science floor in the Bildungsforum Potsdam (4th floor)
- more information: https://www.bildungsforum-potsdam.de/content/im-reich-der-sonne-potsdamer-koepfe
- 14 June 2023, 12:30 pm - 1:15 pm:
- Public lecture by Dr. Ralf-Dieter Scholz: "Inconspicuous stars in our cosmic neighborhood" (German)
- Location: Hall on the first floor, Bildungsforum Potsdam
- more information: https://www.wis-potsdam.de/de/leibniz-institut-astrophysik-potsdam-aip/lunchpaket-wissenschaft-am-mittag
The MS Wissenschaft
Credit: Retusche: Simon Esser / WiD9 - 28 May 2023: MS Wissenschaft in Berlin und Umgebung
The science ship "MS Wissenschaft" started its journey in Berlin and docked around Potsdam. Also on board: an exhibit of the AIP on lights of the universe!
25 May 2023, 2 - 5 pm: Meet the Scientist & presentation of the AIP exhibit in Ketzin, with Dr. Iris Traulsen, Dr. Christian Vocks und Dr. Peter Weilbacher,
https://ms-wissenschaft.de/de/veranstaltungen/meet-the-scientists-mit-dr-iris-traulsen-dr-christian-vocks-dr-peter-weilbacher-aip/
More information:
https://ms-wissenschaft.de/en/.
17 - 21 May, 2023: Roadshow "Universe on Tour" in Potsdam, Luisenplatz
The roadshow "Universe on Tour" stopped at 15 locations throughout Germany with a mobile planetarium. It was accompanied by an activating exhibition that provided information about the importance of light as an information carrier and the impact of light pollution on the environment, the population and astronomy. Guests could broaden their horizons about the starry sky through participatory event formats and engaged with the facets of the topic of "light". The AIP contributed content for the planetarium show and was on location with scientists on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.
18 May 2023, 8 pm: Public lecture by Prof. Dr. Christoph Pfrommer: Fascination galaxy clusters – the biggest collapsed objects in the universe" (in German)
More information:
https://www.wissenschaftsjahr.de/2023/universe-on-tour
25.01.2023: Opening
Opening event of the Science Year 2023 – Our Universe at the Futurium Berlin, with extensive programme. A recording of the event can be found here: live stream - recording.