Ruhr looks towards new astronomical horizon (Forwarded)

ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY PRESS INFORMATION NOTE

Issued by RAS Communications Officers:

Peter Bond Tel: +44 (0)1483-268672
Fax: +44 (0)1483-274047
AND
Anita Heward
Tel: +44 (0)1483-420904

NATIONAL ASTRONOMY MEETING PRESS ROOM (4 - 7 APRIL ONLY):
Tel: +44 (0)116-229-7474 or 229-7475 or 252-3312 or 252-3531
Fax: +44 (0)116-252-3531

RAS Web site:
http://www.ras.org.uk/

RAS National Astronomy Meeting web site:
http://www.nam2006.le.ac.uk/index.shtml

CONTACT DETAILS ARE LISTED AT THE END OF THIS RELEASE.

EMBARGOED FOR 00:01 BST, FRIDAY, 7 APRIL 2006 (23:01 GMT ON THURSDAY
6 APRIL)

Ref.: PN 06/25 (NAM 18)

RUHR LOOKS TOWARDS NEW ASTRONOMICAL HORIZON

Things are looking up for one of the most populated industrial areas
in western Europe, thanks to a private initiative known as "Horizon
Astronomy in the Ruhr Area".

The collaboration of private individuals, school teachers and members
of different German and international institutions has seized this
opportunity to plan an Astronomical Theme Park on the biggest slag
heap in the Ruhr area, which is currently being restored and
reintegrated into the urban environment.

The story of this innovative project will be presented at the RAS
National Astronomy Meeting in Leicester on Friday 7 April by Daniel
Brown (Liverpool John Moores University).

Mankind has always shown great interest in the paths of the Sun,
Moon and stars, trying to understand and predict them. For several
thousand years, people have used the horizon as an instrument for
these astronomical observations. One of the most prominent
structures used for horizon astronomy was Stonehenge in the UK.

"Unfortunately, increasing housing development and light pollution
has made it increasingly difficult to see stars and experience the
wonders of the night sky," said Daniel Brown. "The observation of
the edge of the sky - the horizon - has become increasingly
difficult in metropolitan areas such as the Ruhr in North Rhine-
Westphalia, Germany.

"However, the Initia Horae (Latin: origin of time) group has
realised that the redeveloped slag heaps make artificial hills
(similar to Silbury Hill in Wiltshire, UK) that overlook all the
buildings, enabling a free view of the horizon. This enables us to
have an unobstructed view of the horizon once again, and presents
ideal conditions to convey ancient observing techniques with and
basic astronomical knowledge to a broader public."

One of the group's goals is to design and build a Horizon
Observatory on top of the Halde Hoheward slag heap in the north-
eastern part of the Ruhr area. Its purpose is to give more people
the opportunity to make their own astronomical observations.

The project is part of the Emscherbruch environmental park. The
340 acre park on the slag heap will contain several stations that
will be visible from above and appear in the shape of the stellar
group known as the Pleiades (commonly called the Seven Sisters).

The most striking installation will be the Horizon Observatory,
located at the highest point in the park. The Observatory will
consist of two giant arcs, each 95m in diameter, which will be
visible from afar, as well as a variety of direction markers.

Seen from the centre, the arcs mark the north-south direction
across the sky (the meridian) and the equator, both symbolising
fundamental coordinate lines in astronomy. The stars, planets,
Moon or Sun will move along paths parallel to the equator,
crossing the meridian at their highest position. Direction
markers placed at the edge of the observatory define the
seasonal shift of the rising and setting points of the Sun.

The second biggest station includes a giant 8.5m high obelisk,
part of a giant sundial, which is located on the south-eastern
plateau of the slag heap. It has been built following the example
of the Emperor Augustus' sundial in Rome.

Lines for every hour and borders between each star sign
(constellation of the zodiac) have been marked on the 60m
diameter shadow-casting surface. The true local time and date
can be measured to a precision of one minute and one day,
respectively. Seven smaller stations display many other
hands-on experiments.

The park will also include a Visitors' Centre, built on a former
coal mine, which will distribute information, offer guided tours
and hold exhibitions on archaeo-astronomy. "Many steps towards
completing this fascinating park have already been completed and
involved different projects with school classes and trainees,"
said Daniel Brown.

"When it is finished towards the end of 2007, visitors will be able
to experience the rhythm of planetary and stellar objects by making
their own observations," he added.

"Embedded in an astronomical science and leisure park, the Horizon
Observatory will offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to
motivate the general public and develop an astronomical culture.

"The giant sundial has been officially opened for the public and is
now a popular visitor attraction visible from the motorway. This is
a very positive sign for the future of this and other international
projects to inspire interest in basic astronomy for a broader
public."

CONTACT

Daniel Brown
Astrophysics Research Institute
Liverpool John Moores University
Twelve Quays House, Egerton Wharf
Birkenhead CH41 1LD
Tel: +44 (0)151-231-2922

From 4 to 7 April, Mr. Brown can be contacted via the NAM press
office (see above).

NOTES FOR EDITORS

The consortium includes members of the following German institutions:
Astronomical Institute Ruhr-Universität Bochum; Westphalian Public
Observatory; and the Recklinghausen Planetarium.

Also contributing are members of the European Southern Observatory,
Liverpool John Moores University, and the University of California,
Riverside.

After the work on the slag heap is finished and it has reached its
final height, the Regionalverband Ruhrgebiet local authority will
be the owner of the land. As such, it will be responsible for the
construction of the astronomical attractions and the establishment
of the necessary infrastructure.

The 2006 RAS National Astronomy Meeting is hosted by the University
of Leicester. It is sponsored by the Royal Astronomical Society,
the UK Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC), the
University of Leicester and the National Space Centre, Leicester.

IMAGES AND FURTHER INFORMATION

Images and further information about the Horizon Astronomy Project
can be found at:
http://www.horizontastronomie.de/eindex.htm

Figures and animations relating to this press release can be found
at:
http://www.astro.livjm.ac.uk/~db