Royal Observatory of Belgium

Sous les coupoles d’Uccle / Onder de koepels van Ukkel – episode 4

Le Binh San Pham — Fri, 02 Oct 2026 10:28:20 +0000

What can the vibrations of the Earth tell us, beyond the occurrence of an earthquake?

In the fourth episode of Sous les coupoles d’Uccle/Onder de koepels van Ukkel, seismologist Koen Van Noten takes us into the world of seismology. Seismology is about much more than earthquakes. By listening to the vibrations of the Earth, scientists can learn more about the subsurface, human activities and natural phenomena.

In this episode, Koen Van Noten explains how the Royal Observatory of Belgium studies earthquakes in Belgium, but also how seismic measurements have practical applications today. From mapping the subsurface and researching geothermal energy to monitoring our daily lives, discover how listening to the Earth can reveal more and more information.

This episode is in Dutch. A summary in French is available in the show notes.

Listen on Spotify – Apple Podcasts – Youtube Studio.

RSS feed of the podcast ‘Onder de koepels van Ukkel’.

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The Earth Climate Observatory (ECO) space mission candidate goes forward to Phase A

Le Binh San Pham — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 08:13:13 +0000

The European Space Agency (ESA) has selected the Earth Climate Observatory (ECO) space mission candidate for further development as an Earth Explorer 12 (EE12) candidate. ECO – with as Lead Proposer Steven Dewitte from the Royal Observatory of Belgium – targets the first ever direct measurement from space of the most fundamental climate variable, the Earth Energy Imbalance (EEI).

The decision follows a 2-year Phase 0 feasibility study, the presentation of its results at a User Consultation Meeting (UCM) held on 7-8 July 2026 in Tallinn, and an assessment of the merit of 4 candidate missions by ESA’s Advisory Committee for Earth Observation (ACEO). ACEO ranked ECO on the first place of the four presented candidate missions, based on its “outstanding scientific value, clear relevance to the ESA Earth Observation Science Strategy, and exceptional potential impact for climate science and society”.

During Phase A, the ECO team will have to reconcile the targeted EE12 Cost at Completion of 550 M€ (in the economic conditions of 2022) with the ECO mission scientific performance.

Go, ECO team, go!

The ECO team at the EE12 User Consultation Meeting in Tallinn, held on 7-8 July 2026. Credit: ECO.

More information

ESA announcement Phase A selection: https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/FutureEO/Three_Earth_Explorer_candidates_go_forward
UCM documents and presentations: https://atpi.eventsair.com/ee12ucm/ucm-doc
UCM ECO recording: https://www.esa.int/esatv/Videos/2026/07/Earth_Explorer_12_User_Consultation_Meeting_ECO
ECO website: https://eco.oma.be/
ECO selection for Phase 0: https://www.astro.oma.be/en/the-earth-climate-observatory-new-space-mission-concept-for-monitoring-the-earth-energy-imbalance/

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200 years of astronomy. 50 years of geography. A single coin.

Le Binh San Pham — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 09:08:22 +0000

The Federal Public Service Finance is issuing a Belgian 2-euro coin to mark the 50th anniversary of the National Geographic Institute and the 200th anniversary of the Royal Observatory of Belgium

Brussels, 25 September 2026 – To mark the 50th anniversary of the National Geographic Institute (IGN-NGI) and the 200th anniversary of the Royal Observatory of Belgium, the Federal Public Service (FPS) Finance issued, through the Royal Mint of Belgium, a special Belgian 2-euro coin. At the Royal Observatory of Belgium in Uccle, the Commissioner of Coins, Giovanni Van de Velde, officially unveiled this unique coin today and presented the first copies to Jan Jambon, Minister of Finance, and Vanessa Matz, Minister of Science Policy.

Credit : Royal Mint of Belgium

In addition to the two ministers, the Director of the Observatory, Mr Ronald Van der Linden, as well as the General Administrator of the IGN-NGI, Ms Ingrid Vanden Berghe, and a representative of the Minister of Defence – the IGN-NGI’s supervisory authority – each received a copy of this tribute to the two institutions. The commemorative 2-euro coin, which symbolically represents these two scientific organisations on the occasion of their anniversaries, is available exclusively from the Royal Mint of Belgium.

Jan Jambon, Minister of Finance : ‘For 200 years now, the Royal Observatory has been observing the sky, and for the past 50 years, the National Geographic Institute has been mapping the land beneath our feet with ever-greater precision. But the work of these two scientific institutions goes far beyond the stars and maps. Their knowledge and expertise contribute to a better understanding of societal challenges and to the search for solutions. Thanks to the Royal Mint, this constantly evolving science, which serves our society, is being honoured with an exceptional commemorative coin.’

Vanessa Matz, Minister of Public Action and Modernisation with responsibility for Science Policy : ‘An anniversary such as this is an opportunity to look back at the progress made and ahead to the path that remains to be explored. For two centuries, the Royal Observatory of Belgium and its scientists have been deepening our understanding of the Earth, the Sun and the Universe, whilst putting their knowledge at the service of society. From climate change to space exploration, their work helps us to better understand the changes that lie ahead and, above all, to anticipate them more effectively. This is also what we are celebrating as part of the ROB’s 200th anniversary: a science policy that stands the test of time and uses knowledge as a tool to prepare for the future.’

The pillars of Belgium’s scientific heritage

The Royal Observatory of Belgium was founded 200 years ago, on 8 June 1826, when King William I signed the founding charter of what was then known as the ‘Brussels Observatory’. The National Geographic Institute (IGN-NGI), established by the Act of 8 June 1976, is part of a rich military, scientific and industrial tradition dating back to Belgium’s independence.

Credit : Royal Mint of Belgium

Since their creation, these two institutions have undergone impressive development. Drawing on their respective expertise, they have contributed to Belgium’s scientific development for generations and have thus built up a considerable legacy. Their societal and scientific significance therefore extends far beyond the scope of their areas of expertise. Consequently, their activities are not limited solely to mapping our country and the universe, but also address the most pressing societal challenges of today. This is one of the main reasons why the Federal Public Service Finance has chosen to pay tribute to the National Geographic Institute and the Royal Observatory with a 2-euro coin.

Ronald Van der Linden, Director of the Observatory : ‘The issue of this coin is an exceptional recognition of 200 years of scientific excellence. It reminds us of our rich history, but above all it turns our gaze towards the future. The Royal Observatory of Belgium will continue, over the coming decades, to conduct cutting-edge research at an international level.’

Ingrid Vanden Berghe, General Administrator of the IGN-NGI: ‘“Deeply rooted in history. Younger than ever. Ready for the future.” This is the theme of our anniversary year, which perfectly sums up what the IGN-NGI stands for today. Since its inception, innovation has been an integral part of our Institute’s DNA. By continuing to develop our services, making geographical data more accessible and constantly incorporating new knowledge and ideas, we remain ready to meet the challenges of the next 50 years.’

A coin that tells a story

The design of the Belgian 2-euro coin harmoniously brings together these two anniversaries. In the centre is the silhouette of a child standing on a map, a reference to the Geographical Institute. The child is pointing upwards, towards the universe, in reference to the Royal Observatory. This image illustrates the importance of these two institutions, particularly with a view to the future. Indeed, scientific progress never stops. Around the composition are the names of the two Belgian institutions, written in English.

Beneath the design are the country code ‘BE’, the mint mark of the Commissioner of Coins (an Erlenmeyer flask with an aster) and the mint mark of the Royal Dutch Mint, responsible for production (the caduceus).

Credit : Royal Mint of Belgium

Three versions available immediately

The Belgian 2-euro commemorative coin is available in three versions:

Brilliant Uncirculated (BU)
Proof quality
Reverse-polished proof quality

The BU coin is packaged in an original coin card, entirely dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the National Geographic Institute and the 200th anniversary of the Royal Observatory of Belgium, and is available in two language versions. The ‘Proof’ and ‘Reverse Polished’ editions are presented in a luxurious case. The mintage is limited to a maximum of 125,000 BU coins, 4,000 ‘Belle Épreuve’ coins and 3,500 ‘Reverse Polished’ coins. All coins are legal tender in all eurozone countries but will not be put into circulation.

Order: All versions are available from today at www.piecescommemoratives.be or www.herdenkingsmunten.be.

About the Royal Mint of Belgium

The Royal Mint of Belgium is responsible for commissioning Belgian circulation coins, their design, quality control, the detection of counterfeit coins and representing the Belgian State at international level. Since the beginning of 2018, the minting of Belgian coins and the marketing of Belgian commemorative coins have been entrusted to the Royal Dutch Mint. The King of the Belgians remains the issuing authority.

Official issues commissioned by the Royal Mint of Belgium bear the mark of the Commissioner of Coins of the Royal Mint of Belgium, Mr Giovanni Van de Velde, as well as the mark of the Royal Mint of the Netherlands. The Royal Mint of the Netherlands is one of the world’s top five producers of circulation coins, commemorative coins and collector’s items. Belgian commemorative coins are available on the website www.piecescommemoratives.be or www.herdenkingsmunten.be.

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The Space Pole opens its doors on 26 and 27 September 2026

Le Binh San Pham — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 15:05:06 +0000

Brussels, 17 September 2026 – On Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 September 2026, the Space Pole in Uccle (the Royal Observatory of Belgium, Royal Meteorological Institute and Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy) opens its doors.

In the last weekend of September, the public will get the unique opportunity to step onto the grounds of the Space Pole in Uccle. A weekend of fun and games for the youngest, scientific discovery for the whole family and direct interaction with the scientists themselves.

On top of that, the Observatory celebrates its bicentennial anniversary this year. This Open Doors weekend is part of a wide range of publications and activities organised on this occasion. In addition to the regular open door activities, visitors can also have a look at the special book “The Royal Observatory of Belgium, 200 years, 200 stories” and purchase commemorative stamps and a 2-euro coin made for the institute’s bicentenary.

Whether you come to see the telescopes or to learn about the weather, the climate, the aurora or the planets of the solar system, we have it all lined up for you. See you then!

Practical information:

When?                 The 26^thand 27^th of September from 10 am to 6 pm (last entry 5 pm)
Where?                Space Pole Uccle, Avenue Circulaire / Ringlaan 3, 1180 Brussels
Free admission. No registration required.
A picnic area and foodtrucks will be available on site.
Website:             https://spacepole.be/en/open-days

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‘Born-again’ star offers rare chance to watch stellar evolution in real time

Le Binh San Pham — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 09:49:34 +0000

A team of astronomers led by the Royal Observatory of Belgium have found that a star called Sakurai’s Object has become 6 times hotter in the past 30 years, one of the fastest increases ever seen. Sakurai’s Object is a dead star which re-ignited in the 1990’s as a ‘born-again’ star. 30 years ago it was similar in temperature to our Sun. It has now entered a new stage of stellar evolution, representing a Wolf-Rayet star. New observations show the star is reheating more gradually than some of the most recent theories predicted, providing an important test of theories describing the final stages of a star’s life. The rapidly changing star offers astronomers a rare opportunity to watch stellar evolution unfold in real time.

Using the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile, researchers, led by Peter van Hoof and Griet Van de Steene from the Royal Observatory of Belgium, studied Sakurai’s Object, a rare ‘born-again’ star that unexpectedly burst back to life in 1996 after reaching the final stages of its evolution.

Their findings, published today in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, show that the star has entered a new phase of its evolution, developing the powerful stellar wind characteristic of Wolf-Rayet stars.

The research provides new insight into the final stages of stellar evolution and helps astronomers test theories that would otherwise take thousands or millions of years to verify.

https://www.astro.oma.be/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/output_cropped_2_trim_repaired.mp4

As a result of the evolution of Sakurai’s Object, it has also been increasing in luminosity a lot between 2006 and 2023. In this video Sakurai’s Object is marked by the green circle. Credits: Peter van Hoof (ROB).

Dr Peter van Hoof of the Observatory said: “For most stars it is impossible to see them evolve on a human timescale. To understand their evolution, our only choice is to observe many different stars and piece together which of those are on different stages of the same path. Sakurai’s Object offers something far rarer. It is one of the very few stars known to have changed dramatically within just a few decades, giving us the opportunity to watch stellar evolution unfold in real time. With our observations, we can test theories of how stars evolve and gain new insights into one of the shortest and least understood phases in the life of a dying star.”

The scientists believe the star was similar to our Sun, but had already ended nuclear burning and begun its journey towards becoming a white dwarf – the hot, dense core left behind after an ordinary star dies. It underwent a rare event known as a “very late thermal pulse”, when a layer of helium deep inside the dead star suddenly reignites.

The event caused the star to rapidly expand, cool and eject large amounts of material into space, temporarily returning to an earlier stage of its life, leading astronomers to describe it as a “born-again” star.

Only two stars have ever been directly observed undergoing this type of dramatic rebirth: Sakurai’s Object and V605 Aquilae.

Following its outburst, Sakurai’s Object became hidden behind thick clouds of gas and dust released during the eruption, making it difficult to study directly.

To investigate its current state, the team analysed light collected by the Very Large Telescope and compared it with sophisticated computer models that simulate the atmospheres and powerful winds of Wolf-Rayet stars.

The observations revealed distinctive signatures of carbon and helium, allowing the researchers to find its temperature, chemical composition and the characteristics of its stellar wind.

Their analysis suggests the star’s surface temperature is currently between around 27,000 and 36,000 degrees Kelvin, showing that it is reheating following its dramatic eruption nearly three decades ago.

Dr Griet Van de Steene of the Observatory added: “Sakurai’s Object evolved much more quickly than pre-existing models for stellar evolution predicted. This led to a new generation of models that we now need to test. Our measurements show that the star is reheating more gradually than some of these new models predicted. That gives us an important way of testing which theories best describe what happens when a dying star briefly springs back to life. As we continue to monitor the star over the coming years, we expect to learn much more about this remarkable phase of stellar evolution.”

The findings also suggest that Sakurai’s Object is at an earlier stage of its evolution than V605 Aquilae, which experienced a similar event around 80 years ago.

The team will continue observing Sakurai’s Object as it continues reheating and resumes its journey towards becoming a white dwarf, learning more about one of the most rapid and unusual phases of stellar evolution ever observed.

The findings have been published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stag1533

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Special Stamps on the Occasion of the Observatory’s 200th Anniversary

Le Binh San Pham — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 14:12:51 +0000

Since 31 August 2026, stamp collectors have been able to purchase at Bpost five stamps illustrating instruments linked to the Royal Observatory of Belgium. They were issued to mark the institute’s 200th anniversary.

Photo credit: Bpost.

These stamps, presented on a special sheet, depict five instruments that are important to the fields in which the Observatory operates:

The Zeiss projector at the Royal Observatory of Belgium’s Planetarium;
The Proba-3 satellite, which carries the ASPIICS instrument managed by the Observatory;
The Uccle solar dome, with a close-up of its USET equatorial mount;
The Observatory’s Schmidt telescope;
A seismometer.

These stamps are on sale at Bpost:

The Royal Observatory of Belgium celebrated its 200th anniversary on 8 June 2026. The issue of these commemorative stamps forms part of the publications, events and activities organised to mark this jubilee year. For further information, visit the website: 200year.observatory.be.

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ERC Starting Grant Awarded to a Researcher at the Royal Observatory

Le Binh San Pham — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 10:02:35 +0000

The European Research Council (ERC) today announced the winners of its latest Starting Grant competition. Kaustubh Hakim, researcher at both the Royal Observatory of Belgium and KU Leuven, has been awarded a grant for the ExoGeochem project, with the Observatory as host institution.

The ERC Starting Grants are awarded to early-career researchers across Europe. The grants will help researchers develop ambitious ideas, build their own teams and establish their independence at a pivotal stage in their careers.

Kaustubh Hakim with 3D-printed models of diamond anvil cells (FabLab Leuven). Photo: Rob Stevens (KU Leuven)

Kaustubh Hakim is one of the 421 laureates of the ERC Starting Grant. The scientist holds a joint appointment between the Royal Observatory of Belgium and the Institute of Astronomy at KU Leuven through the BELSPO FED-tWIN programme. He is the first active researcher in the FED-tWIN programme to be awarded an ERC grant.

He trained first as an electronics engineer and worked in banking before turning to astronomy, for a master’s degree in Belgium, a PhD in the Netherlands and a long postdoctoral position in Switzerland before returning to Belgium. His research connects geochemistry and planetary science to work out what exoplanets are made of.

A grant for studying exoplanets through modelling, high-pressure experiments and observations

The project ExoGeochem (Geochemical Atmospheric Signatures of Sub-Neptune Exoplanets) is hosted by the Royal Observatory of Belgium, with KU Leuven as a beneficiary partner. It aims to establish what sub-Neptune exoplanets are made of, and how their interiors shape the atmospheres we observe.

Roughly half of the exoplanets found so far belong to this class: worlds between twice the size of Earth and the size of Neptune. Our own solar system contains nothing like them, which leaves astronomers without a reference point for what lies beneath their thick atmospheres.

Earth and a typical sub-Neptune, shown to scale. While Earth’s interior is well constrained, sub-Neptune interiors are not well understood. ExoGeochem will work out what lies beneath the atmosphere of sub-Neptunes. Credit: Kaustubh Hakim.

ExoGeochem will supply the thermochemical data that are missing: how hydrogen, rock and iron behave when they meet at the pressures and temperatures found deep inside such planets. Laboratory experiments, quantum-mechanical simulations and atmospheric chemistry models will be brought together into a single framework, so that spectra recorded by the James Webb Space Telescope, and later by Ariel and the Extremely Large Telescope, can be read in terms of what a planet is actually made of.

The Starting Grant will provide about €1.5 million over a maximum period of five years. As the Principal Investigator, Kaustubh Hakim will recruit and supervise the team and take scientific responsibility for executing the project. Part of the budget will equip a laboratory with diamond anvil cells, in which sub-millimetre-sized samples are squeezed and heated to reproduce conditions deep inside a planet. His own scientific contribution centres on the interior–atmosphere interactions in rocky and sub-Neptune exoplanets, which is the thread tying the theoretical, experimental and observational parts of the project together.

“Planetary interiors have been studied at the Royal Observatory for decades, but mostly through models,” says Hakim. “What this grant makes possible is to recreate those conditions in the laboratory, measure what actually happens, and then take those numbers back to the telescope data. Closing that loop between experiment and observation is what has been missing for sub-Neptunes.”

The ERC press release: https://erc.europa.eu/news-events/news/erc-2026-starting-grants-results

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Solar eclipse of August 2026 in Humain

Le Binh San Pham — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 10:04:20 +0000

On 12 August 2026, a total solar eclipse took place. While people had the chance to witness the totality of this event in Spain, Iceland and Greenland, eclipse watchers from Belgium witness the Moon covering about 90% of the Sun. On this occasion, the Royal Observatory of Belgium organised an eclipse observation event in its radioastronomy station in Humain (Marche-en-Famenne) and welcomed about 300 visitors.

In Humain, the eclipse began at 19:20, with a maximum at 20:14 and ended at 21:07, a few minutes after sunset (at 20:58). The site offers a clear view of the setting Sun, which allowed people to enjoy the eclipse from the beginning to nearly its end with eclipse glasses.

People watching the solar eclipse in Humain. Credit: ORB-KSB.

Solar telescopes were also installed for visitors to observe the eclipse in more detail, and, on the surface of a white tent, they could view the eclipse with alternative ways (by projecting sunlight through a skimmer for example).

The sunlight is projected on the white tent through a skimmer and holes of a cardboard. Through the holes, one can observe the eclipsed Sun. Credit: ORB-KSB.

Beside eclipse viewing, visitors also had the occasion to learn more about solar physics and space weather research at the Observatory, discover how a seismometer works and visit a new museum about the history of the Humain radioastronomy station. After sunset, the remaining people had the occasion to see Venus with the naked eye. The event ended at 22:30, with a few lucky observers admiring the first Perseid shooting stars of the night.

Through the artificial effect of lens flare, in which the camera lens reflects sunlight, one can catch a reflection of the eclipsed Sun, as seen in the red circle of this picture. Credit: ORB-KSB.

In Uccle and in space

In Uccle, the solar telescopes, with their advantage of being placed 12 m above the ground, had the chance to take snapshots of the eclipse. The space-based solar telescopes managed by the Observatory were also at the ready. The Proba-2 travels so fast around Earth that it crossed the Moon’s shadow multiple times allowing its instruments, SWAP and LYRA, to capture three partial eclipses in a row. The ASPIICS instrument onboard Proba-3 observed at the same time a natural total solar eclipse by the Moon and an artificial eclipse by its occulting satellite covering the solar disk. This is double eclipse will only happen once during the mission’s lifetime.

Image in visible light of the eclipsed Sun taken by one of the solar Uccle telescopes on 12 August 2026 at 20:14 near the maximum of the eclipse. Credit: ORB-KSB/USET.

Image in extreme ultraviolet of the eclipsed Sun taken by the SWAP camera onboard Proba-2 on 12 August 2026. Credit: ESA/Proba-2/SWAP/ORB-KSB.

Solar eclipses take place two to three times a year, some of which are total solar eclipses. However, each of these events is only visible from a small region on Earth and the zone where the totality can be observed is even smaller.

Fortunately, the next total solar eclipse that will be partially visible in Belgium is not far away: it will take place next year, on 2 August 2027, with the totality visible in North-Africa and the south of Spain. In Belgium, the Moon will cover a bit less than half of the surface of the Sun. Precise times of the solar and lunar eclipses in Belgium in 2027 will soon be published on the Information website of the Observatory.

Stay tuned and don’t put your eclipse glasses too far away!

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The Observatory Publishes Its Podcasts

Le Binh San Pham — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 18:18:06 +0000

Since June 2026, the Royal Observatory of Belgium has been publishing a series of podcasts entitled Sous les coupoles d’Uccle/Onder de koepels van Ukkel (Under the domes of Uccle in English). The podcasts are freely available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Studio or via an RSS feed.

Every month, the Observatory’s scientists take you to the heart of their research, from space missions to the most distant stars, via the measurement of time. Episodes are released alternately in French and Dutch. For listeners who do not understand Dutch (or French), a summary of the podcast is available in the notes for the Dutch language (or French language) episode.

Two episodes are already available. The first episode, Le bruit de la Terre (The Noise of the Earth in English), is in French and, featuring Raphael De Plaen, explores seismic noise as a tool for understanding the climate, the subsurface and natural hazards. The second episode, in Dutch, is entitled Belgische blik op de Zon (A Belgian Glance at the Sun in English) and, with David Berghmans and Elke D’Huys, talks about the role of the Royal Observatory in space missions, higlighting the SOHO, Proba-2, Solar Orbiter and Proba-3 missions.

Sous les coupoles d’Uccle/Onder the koepels van Ukkel is one of the special publications and activities marking the 200^thanniversary of the Royal Observatory of Belgium. The first series will comprise 12 episodes.

Listen to the podcasts of the Observatory

Sous les coupoles d’Uccle (podcasts in French): Spotify – Apple Podcasts – YouTube Studio – RSS
Onder de koepels van Ukkel (podcasts in Dutch): Spotify – Apple Podcasts – YouTube Studio – RSS

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Music, Sound & Imagination Exhibition at the Royal Palace

Flore Van Maldeghem — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 07:43:03 +0000

From July 3 to August 16, 2026, the Royal Palace is open to the public. This is an opportunity to explore the “Science and Culture” exhibition entitled Music, Sound & Imagination.

In the Grand Gallery, visitors can discover objects, works of art, sound clips and documents, all relating to sound and music. The Music, Sound & Imagination exhibition is organised by Belspo in collaboration with the Federal Scientific Institutes, of which the Royal Observatory of Belgium is a member, as well as the Royal Conservatoire of Brussels and the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel.

Star Sounds and a Mini-Podcast

On this occasion, the Royal Observatory of Belgium has collaborated with the AstroSounds project to present “star sounds” to the public. AstroSounds is a citizen science project inviting members of the public to analyse the light spectra of stars that have been converted into sounds. Stars vibrate, and by studying their vibrations, we can glean information about the interiors of these celestial bodies. This science, known as asteroseismology, is one of the Observatory’s fields of expertise.

Just like the sounds of musical instruments, the “sounds” of stars are distinguished by their timbre, making it possible to recognise the type of star simply by listening to them. The exhibition and the Observatory’s website showcase the sounds of four types of stars: a sun-like star, an RR Lyrae star, a Beta Cephei star and a classical Cepheid.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to discover other sounds linked to the Observatory and its activities. The mini-podcast, which is also available online, invites listeners to experience a day in the heart of the Observatory’s laboratories and to discover the daily lives of its scientists.

Further information and tickets:

• Main exhibition website: https://royal.belspo.be
• Discover the sounds of four types of stars
• Podcast: “A Day at the Observatory”

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