ESA and NASA Looking for help from amateurs

[Helen]

Given Venus is much better placed for observing than the other planets at the moment here's your chance to help the professionals! 

Let us know if you take part!

Helen

Announcement:

CALLING AMATEUR ASTRONOMERS - PARTNER WITH NASA AND ESA AND OBSERVE VENUS 

The Parker Solar Probe (NASA) and BepiColombo (ESA) missions will flyby Venus on July 11th and October 15th 2020. Both missions will obtain observations of Venus coordinated with the Akatsuki mission (JAXA), currently in a long eliptic orbit around the planet.

Researchers on Venus atmosphere are using this opportunity to launch a large ground-based support campaign for these missions and the participation of amateur observers can be fundamental to provide enough data of the Venus atmosphere with context observations in July, August and October. They said:
'We have launched a campaign to provide amateur support to these flybys and we are actively requesting Venus observations.'

All Venus observations submitted to Planetary Virtual Observatory and Laboratory (PVOL) will be used for this campaign.  http://pvol2.ehu.eus/pvol2/

More details on how to participate and be part of these missions are available here http://pvol2.ehu.eus/bc/Venus/

Note: You can also apply for telescope time through the Europlanet Telescope Network https://www.europlanet-society.org/europlanet-2024-ri/networking-activities-na/europlanet-2024-ri-na-call-for-observations-at-the-europlanet-telescope-network/ #Europlanet2024RI

Clear Skies and Happy Venus Observing!

PS Don't forget if you are a planetary observer you can routinely help the professional planetary scientists by uploading your observations to PVOL http://pvol2.ehu.eus/pvol2/

[Pete Presland]

Thanks for the "heads up" what a great opportunity  to be involved in some science. 

Fascinating reading on this link as well http://pvol2.ehu.eus/bc/Venus/  

[Helen]

3 hours ago, Pete Presland said:

Thanks for the "heads up" what a great opportunity  to be involved in some science. 

Fascinating reading on this link as well http://pvol2.ehu.eus/bc/Venus/  

The great thing about these campaigns Pete is that every submission is potentially very useful, so it doesn't matter if you can only submit observations from one night as taken together we get great coverage.

Its time to get my filters dusted off...

Helen

[Helen]

PS I'm wondering whether there would be interest if I tried to get the people running the campaigns to do a Stargazine session 🤔