Inauguration festivities
The Trojan horse of natural sciences
One hundred guests attend the inauguration festivities of the Haus der Astronomie
December 23, 2011
Another galaxy has appeared in the universe: However, rather than floating around in the infinite expanses of space, it sits atop the Königstuhl Hill in Heidelberg. A ceremonial act marked the inauguration of the Haus der Astronomie (House of Astronomy), a new communication centre for the science of the stars. In the building, which was modelled on a spiral galaxy, astronomic research will be conveyed in workshops, advanced training sessions and professional seminars.
Text: Helmut Hornung
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A bright galaxy: The entrance area of the Haus der Astronomie in Heidelberg.
© Thomas Hartmann
© Thomas Hartmann
It was easy to imagine yourself wrapped in a dense gas cloud at the centre of the Milky Way. Drizzle enveloped Königstuhl Hill and from afar, the silhouette of the Haus der Astronomie fittingly seemed to float in the mist - a galaxy in the cosmic ocean. Beneath it, the approximately one hundred invited guests gravitated towards the heart of the celestial system. Fortunately, the latter did not hold a black hole, but an auditorium equipped with state-of-the-art multimedia technology, which offered impressive 3D animations and computer simulations at the end of the inauguration ceremony. It was a prime example of a small, yet excellent planetarium program.
Klaus Tschira gave a witty account of his passion for astronomy. Even in school, they used to refer to him as the “planetary nerd” and later, he studied physics. “Instead of starting an academic career, I took some time off to get my driver’s licence in order to perhaps become a delivery driver for sparkling water”, he said. But life took another turn. Tschira joined IBM and was subsequently involved in establishing SAP – currently one of the largest software manufacturers in the world. Through his foundation, Klaus Tschira commissioned the Haus der Astronomie and donated it to the Max Planck Society shortly before the inauguration.
His fellow speakers helped whet the audience’s appetite for astronomy. For instance, Thomas Henning, Managing Director of the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, which is now responsible for the House of Astronomy. Henning sees the new building as a “Trojan horse”, which should help spark schoolchildren’s interest in science and engineering. As an example of constructive encounters with research, Henning mentioned Pan-STARRS (the Panoramic Survey Telescope & Rapid Response System), which collects data about asteroids, comets and variable stars, the evaluation of which involves pupils and teachers.
Peter Gruss, President of the Max Planck Society, considers the Haus der Astronomie a useful tool in scientific policy. According to President Gruss, there is a serious lack of young people wanting to study mathematics, computer science, natural sciences and technology. This will weaken Germany’s economic performance and is threatening to become even worse in the future. The Max Planck Society is also in need of junior scientists. “If the Haus der Astronomie can contribute to winning more young people for science and technical subjects, both our scientific institution and society as a whole will benefit”, Gruss said.
The two representatives of the “society” – Theresia Bauer, Minister of Science in Baden-Württemberg, and her colleague from the Department of Culture, Gabriele Warminski-Leitheußer – emphasized the importance of the astronomic facility for the educational landscape. “Here, young people will be encouraged to think beyond traditional borders”, Warminski-Leitheußer said. Bauer praised the Haus der Astronomie as a “place where passion and curiosity for science are stimulated”.
The location atop Königstuhl in Heidelberg, is no coincidence for Bernhard Eitel, Dean of Heidelberg University, since, according to him, the region is really “one of Germany’s hot spots for Astronomy”. Eitel also said that the interdisciplinary approach promoted in the Haus der Astronomie stems from a long tradition. Indeed, the motto of his alma mater, since its foundation in 1386, has been semper apertus – always open. Heidelberg’s mayor, Eckart Würzner, also considered the cooperation between different institutes “a partnership that sends strong signals”.
The idea of designing the building in the shape of a spiral galaxy came from Klaus Tschira. Architect Manfred Bernhardt spoke of the difficulties that arose when realising the complex design. The facade alone consists of more than 300 elements which were manufactured in a company in South Tirol and had to be fitted with millimetre accuracy on site. “The technology is similar to that of automotive construction”, Bernhardt explained. “Everything went smoothly.” Only three parts had to be re-ordered from the manufacturer, as they had been damaged in transport.
The originality of the spectacular architecture was mirrored in the “key”, which was presented to Peter Gruss at the end of the ceremony: a massive metal model of the building. Klaus Tschira received a tie with a beautiful photo of the natural model: galaxy M51 (the Whirlpool Galaxy), located in the constellation the Hunting Dogs.
Michael Kramer, Director of the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Bonn, gave a lively talk on the cosmos as a laboratory for extreme physics. This offered the guests insight into the methods and challenges of astronomy, one of the oldest and, at the same time, most up to date and most exciting natural sciences. From now on, atop the 568-metre high Königstuhl Hill, humankind is just a bit closer to the stars.
http://www.mpg.de/4751904/trojan_horse_of_natural_sciences