ESA/ESO puzzles aim to motivate astronomers of tomorrow
The European space agency (ESA) has teamed up with the European southern observatory (ESO) to produce a series of educational exercises for 16 to 19 year olds which allows them to gain first-hand experience of the world of astronomy. The 'ESA/ESO astronomy exercise series,' published on 14 December, allows students to gain hands-on experience in astronomy by making calculations with data obtained from the world's best telescopes. The students can solve some of the most fundamental problems in modern astrophysics - the distance and ages of astronomical objects - using observations made by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and ESO's Very Large Telescope. The exercises aim to promote astronomy as an exciting career path and to give students a chance to experience the excitement and satisfaction of scientific discovery. The series is available on the web and in booklets provided free of charge to teachers on request. The ESO has also announced plans to set up an ESO educational office within its EPR department to provide teachers with support, inspiration and new materials. The European Association for Astronomy Education will act as a medium for much of this interaction. The ESO has been involved in a number of pan-European educational projects in recent years, including the Commission-sponsored European science weeks.