 |
||||||||||||
    |
 
|
|||||||||||
The transit of Venus 10 April 2012 - Venus, the Earth and the Sun will be perfectly aligned on the 5th and 6th June 2012. The passage of Venus between the Earth and the Sun will block a tiny part of the solar disk.
Transit of Venus : videos, photos and some technical and scientific explanation
Symposium on Sustainable of Space Activities 28 February 2012- A three-day symposium on Sustainability of Space Activities was held in February 2012 at the International Space University (ISU) in Strasbourg, France bringing together elites of space industry, academia, and major space agencies. The event promoted discussion of the major issues in sustainability and safety of space activities. The foremost place on the agenda belonged -not surprisingly- to the intensifying problem of space debris.
BIRA-IASB & Space Aeronomy Reviewed  12 January 2012 - In 2014, the Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB) will celebrate its 50th anniversary.
In its 50 years of existence, the institute has evolved to an institute with an international reputation in space physics, and in Earth and planetary atmospheres research, and providing a significant contribution to space and atmosphere related scientific services for the society. Read much more on Space Aeronomy. Public Service Review: European Science and Technology - Issue 13, 13-12-2011, pp. 1-2.
Satellite evidence for a large source of formic acid from boreal and tropical forests 19 December 2011 - Formic acid contributes significantly to acid rain in remote environments. Direct sources of formic acid include human activities, biomass burning and plant leaves. Aside from these direct sources, sunlight-induced oxidation of non-methane hydrocarbons (largely of biogenic origin) is probably the largest source.
According to our simulations, 100–120Tg of formic acid is produced annually, which is two to three times more than that estimated from known sources. We show that 90% of the formic acid produced is biogenic in origin, and largely sourced from tropical and boreal forests. We suggest that terpenoids—volatile organic compounds released by plants—are the predominant precursors. Model comparisons with independent observations of formic acid strengthen our conclusions, and provide indirect validation for the satellite measurements. Finally, we show that the larger formic acid emissions have a substantial impact on rainwater acidity, especially over boreal forests in the summer, where formic acid reduces pH by 0.25–0.5.
BIRA-IASB scientists at DPS-EPSC 3-7 October 2011 - Scientists from the Planetary Aeronomy research unit were present at the DPS-EPS joint conference held in Nantes (France) last week. They reported on a variety of topics.
Tenuous ozone layer discovered in Venus' atmosphere
The discovery poses new challenges to the characterisation of planetary atmospheres, especially in the quest for biomarkers on extrasolar planets. Scientists from BIRA-IASB have participated in this discovery.
|
||||||||||||
 |
 |
|||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||
From the Earth, Venus will look like a small, black disk passing across the Sun. This phenomenon is exceptionally rare and is an event not to be missed. In fact, this is the last chance to observe such a ‘transit’ until the 22nd century. 
7 October 2011 - Using observations of Venus performed with the SPICAV-UV instrument on ESA's Venus Express, scientists have detected, for the first time, a tenuous layer of ozone in this planet's atmosphere.