ESA challenges the Institute of Astrophysics to name a telescope after it

The European Space Agency (ESA) has issued a challenge to the Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences (IA) to suggest a Portuguese astronomical name to be given to one of the 26 telescopic cameras that are part of the PLATO observatory, a space mission dedicated to the study of planetary systems in which Portugal actively participates.

With this in mind, the IA has set up a voting campaign until July 14, which calls for everyone's participation. Five Portuguese personalities have been selected to vote for, namely: Teodoro de Almeida (1722 - 1804); José Monteiro da Rocha (1734-1819); Campos Rodrigues (1836-1919); Francisco de Miranda da Costa Lobo (1864-1945); and Manuel de Barros (1908-1971).

These personalities were pre-selected according to the ESA's criteria: to be the name of someone who was born somewhere within the current borders of Portuguese territory, to have contributed to astronomy in our country, especially to the study of stars and planetary systems, and not to be a living person.

Take part and help name one of the telescopes after a Portuguese person.

More information on the IA website

Photo © ESA-Matteo Apolloni, Structural and Thermal Model (STM) of a PLATO camera