ESO Annual Report 2004

press release, the discovery of the rocky
exoplanet was announced at a major
press conference at the EUROSCIENCE
Open Forum 2004 Conference in Stockholm,
the first attempt in Europe to establish
a forum for scientists and journalists
similar to the AAAS meetings in the USA.
In total, ESO issued 28 press releases and
13 press photos and provided video news
reels and stock video footage to broadcasters
amounting to an average of 15 min
every day all year round. The press releases
are, however, not only seen by journalists.
On average – and without counting
the VT-2004 site – the Department’s
website registered 6 000 sessions per day,
with a rising trend (36 % up from 2003).
To strengthen its distribution to TV stations,
ESO established a collaboration
with ESA TV (broadcast through “Europe
by Satellite”) and – towards the end of
the year – with Athena Web, a web-based
distribution system for professional broadcasters.
ESO video news reels and stock
footage are now distributed through these
channels.
Education
ESO continued its very fruitful collaboration
with the EAAE and towards the end
of the year published a set of educational
information sheets under the title the
“ESO/EAAE Journey Across the Solar
System”. More sheets are planned for publication
in 2005. EAAE also played a
vital role in the preparation of educational
materials in several languages in connection
with the VT-2004 programme.
As mentioned in the context of the
EIROforum cooperation with the European
Commission, ESO took part in the
EU Young Scientists’ Contest, with a representative
on the jury and by sponsoring
a main prize, a visit to the observatories
in Chile, awarded to nineteen-year old
Barbara Burtscher from Switzerland. The
Award Ceremony took place, with much
media attention, in Dublin in September.
Also in September, ESO brought together
a group of educators and experts covering
various relevant fields to discuss the
development of an ALMA Interdisciplinary
Teaching Project, which will enable the
introduction of the ALMA project itself in
Europe’s schools in the coming years.
Events
ESO presented itself with a major information
stand at JENAM in Granada,
underscoring its commitment to serve and
support the European astronomical
community and also giving in particular
Spanish astronomers an opportunity
to familiarize themselves with ESO. It also
entertained an information stand at
a scientific symposium in Berlin. Furthermore
it carried forth the ESO “High-Level
Events” with presentations in Sweden
(March) and dedicated events for hightech
industrial companies in Spain (April)
and Denmark (November).
On September 18, ESO Garching opened
its doors to the public as part of the
“Long Night of the Stars”, an event organised
all over Germany, led by the German
“Stern” magazine. Around 1000 visitors
visited ESO, listened to popular talks, took
part in live video conferences with Paranal
and took advantage of the clear night
sky to look at a range of celestial objects,
thanks to the help and cooperation of
AGAPE, the amateur astronomy club at
ESO that had kindly made a number of
small telescopes available for the event.
Through EIROforum, ESO was represented
at information stands at a large science
communication conference at the Charlemagne
Building in Brussels in May and, as
mentioned, at ESOF 2004 in Stockholm
in August.
Materials and gifts
ESO Annual Report 2004
ESO at JENAM in
Granada: Jorge Melnick
giving an interview
to Spanish TV.
Over the year, ESO produced 86 min
of movies, including a new film about the
ALMA project.
In connection with the five years of science
operations with the VLT, commemoration
posters were made and sent to
Institutes across Europe.
Finally, ESO continued also this year with
its annual calendar, which has been
extremely well received and has become a
much coveted gift item from ESO.
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