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Stargazing - ESA's 3rd XMM-Newton competition

Stargazing - ESA's 3rd XMM-Newton competition

10 February 2000

At the press conference to present XMM-Newton's first images, ESA announced its third XMM-Newton competition, Stargazing. This competition is open to young Europeans between 16 and 18 years old, in the final two years of secondary school. The challenge is to make a proposal for a scientific observation with ESA's XMM-Newton Space Observatory.

Observations proposed must be in the field of astrophysics, excluding Sun, Earth, Moon and planets and bear in mind that X-ray observation targets are not always the same as those of ground-based telescopes.

The 'Stargazing' competition is open to European Schools located in ESA Member States: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, United Kingdom. Deadline: 12 May 2000

The winners will be announced in mid-June 2000. Two schools per country will be selected. In July-August, two students from each class (chosen by the school) will be able to visit the XMM-Newton Science Operations Centre at Vilspa, ESA's tracking station in Spain.

These visits will take place during the summer 2000 (July/August). The three day events will include:

  • Tour and explanation of VILSPA, including the XMM-Newton Science Operations Centre
  • a 'workshop' between students and ESA experts to discuss the mission, the proposals made and to combine the proposals into four significant observations. The final four observation proposals will then be carried by the XMM-Newton science team in 2000-2001
  • time for sightseeing and entertainment
Presentation at Le Bourget

A special event to present the results achieved by the winners will be held at the Air Show in Le Bourget in the summer of 2001. The winners will be invited and the results exhibited to the public.

How to enter 'Stargazing'
The competition is open to young Europeans aged between 16 and 18, in your final 2 years of secondary education, at a school located in an ESA Member State (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, United Kingdom).

The proposals have to be submitted in English.

How to submit your proposal
The proposals should be:

  • no longer than 10 pages (format A4),
  • single sided, single spacing.
  • Number every page carefully in the bottom right-hand corner with a unique number (we suggest your teacher's surname plus page number: Smith/page 1)
Entries should have a cover letter on school letterheaded paper. The cover letter must include:
  • The name of the school and class
  • The name of your teacher and full contact details - mail address, telephone, fax and e-mail
  • The reference number that you have used for your document (e.g Smith/page 1)
You can submit entry either by regular mail or email. Paper versions must be accompanied by a floppy disk.

Regular mail
The paper version of the entry and its electronic file on floppy disk should be sent to:

Science Programme Communication Service SCI-MC ESA - ESTEC Keplerlaan, 1 2220 AG Noordwijk ZH The Netherlands.

The deadline is 12 May 2000.

Last Update: 1 September 2019
29-Mar-2024 01:57 UT

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