Undiscovered worlds (Engels)

In our solar system there are 8 planets that orbit the Sun. Since the end of the last century, astronomers have also found planets around other stars in our Milky Way Galaxy. These are called exoplanets. This is a very current theme in astronomical research. After all, it appeals enormously to the imagination. The question soon arises about possible extraterrestrial life. Volkssterrenwacht Beisbroek offers a new show on the theme of exoplanets, with Frank Deboosere as host.

The first exoplanets were discovered in the 1990s. These led to a change in the theory that describes how planetary and solar systems are formed. Initially, only so-called hot Jupiters were found: very large planets that are very close to their parent star. However, this was and is mainly due to the fact that such planets are the easiest to find.

A question one can ask when looking for exoplanets is: are there any planets like Earth? And can life exist there? A condition is that these planets are in the habitable zone of their planetary system. This habitable zone is defined as the area around a star in which liquid water can exist on the planet's surface. For this, both the temperature and the pressure on the planet, which are related to the atmosphere, are important.

The Kepler telescope was launched on March 7, 2009 to search for planets similar to our Earth. Kepler looked for Earth-like planets in our Milky Way Galaxy to determine how many of the billions of stars in our Milky Way Galaxy have such planets.

The show “Undiscovered worlds” is about the intriguing new research area of ​​exoplanets. In this fulldome show we look for exoplanets in our planetarium. We go on a journey of discovery together and Frank Deboosere tells us the fascinating story.

A visit lasts approximately 1.5 hours and includes a planetarium show, a visit to the telescopes in the observation tower and the Cozmix exhibition hall.