ESA challenges Astrophysics Institute to name telescope

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

In this context, the IA has created a voting action until July 14, for which it appeals to everyone's participation. Five Portuguese personalities have been selected for voting, 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 ESA's criteria: to be the name of someone who was born somewhere within the current borders of Portuguese territory, has contributed to astronomy in our country, especially to the study of stars and planetary systems, and cannot be a person still alive.

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

More information on the IA page

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