Excursions

Anyone interested in taking part in such an excursion is kindly asked to contact scientific secretary of the institute:

 Mgr. Martin Vaňko, PhD.
 Astronomický ústav SAV
 059 60 Tatranská Lomnica
 E-mail: vanko@astro.sk
 Tel.: 00421 52 7879169 
 

The request has to contain the planned date of the visit, the expected number of participants and the contact person's address. Be so kind and specify a language of excursion (Slovak, English or Russian).

Astronomical Institute is a professional body/organization focused on fundamental research on interplanetary matter, the Sun and stars. The results and findings of this research are presented by our research scientists at international conferences and published in academic/scientific journals. We consider drawing attention of the public to science to be a very important part of our work as a substantial part of our fundings comes from public sources. This is why we make possible guided excursions into our institute's facilities (for groups of 10 participants at least).

A typical excursion into the headquarters of our institute in Stara Lesna comprises a 30-minute lecture about the main areas of institute's scientific research and hot astronomical news/topics, and a guided sightseeing tour through the observing pavilions/facilities/telescopes, which - if weather permits - is accompanied by an observation of sunspots. Given all the intricacies of demanding night-time observations, we do not organize excursions into the pavilions at night.

The excursions are preferably offered to school-boys/-girls coming from the districts of Poprad, Kezmarok and Spisska Nova Ves, as well as to those coming from regions where there is no public astronomical observatory available. Besides, university students specializing in technical and natural sciences are also eligible for a professional excursion.

As per timing of the excursions, these are mostly arranged during the days of Open House which are usually kept in the month of June (summer) and November (fall), as well as whenever there is a sufficiently remarkable astronomical phenomenon/event; the schedule will be posted on a regular basis on the official web page of the Institute.