Two decades of expansion in Portuguese astronomy

Portugal has been a member of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) for 20 years. The date is marked this Saturday, June 27. This observatory is the largest intergovernmental organization in Astronomy in Europe and the most productive in the world.

To mark the occasion, the Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences (IA) will hold a series of online events, where several IA researchers will share some of the countless discoveries made possible by ESO telescopes over the past twenty years.

Joining the ESO has changed the face of astronomy and astrophysics in our country. The community of Portuguese researchers in these fields has grown and spread throughout the world, research centers on national soil are attracting more and more scientists from other countries, and our researchers are participating in more international projects, some in leadership positions.

This Saturday, June 27, the event marking two decades of a "giant leap into space" will feature Teresa Lago, Secretary General of the International Astronomical Union, Chiara Manfletti, President of Portugal Space, and Paulo Garcia, Portuguese delegate to the ESO Council. More information is available on the event page.