Young astronomers at the GoChile international summer school of astronomy

Twenty participants, under the guidance of mentors from the University of Nova Gorica's Center for Astrophysics and Cosmology, will plan and carry out small-scale astronomical research projects. They will make astronomical observations using the remotely operated GoChile telescope in Chile, capturing interesting celestial objects such as variable stars, exoplanets, supernova explosions, and galaxies.

Researchers from the Center for Astrophysics and Cosmology at the University of Nova Gorica will introduce them to various topics in astrophysics, including the use of machine learning in astrophysics, black holes, cosmic particles, supernova explosions, and cosmology.

At the summer school, the young participants will become familiar with the basic characteristics of research work and techniques used in astronomy, gaining insight into the work of astronomers. They will be guided by staff from the Faculty of Science and the Cosmolab institute.

The fifth GoChile astronomy summer school is free of charge and, for the second year running, international. Participants come from Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, and Kosovo. The strong interest in the school is further proof of what an important opportunity it represents for young people: as many as 145 students applied, 65 more than last year.

GoChile is a non-commercial educational project of the University of Nova Gorica, through which two telescopes are remotely operated at the El Sauce Observatory in Chile, a site with exceptional observing conditions. The project is intended primarily for students of the Physics and Astrophysics program at the Faculty of Science of the University of Nova Gorica, with part of the observation time also allocated to secondary schools and amateur astronomers.