Another unforgettable weekend dedicated to astronomy! With my wife, Erika, we left the daily hustle and bustle behind and visited the observatory in the picturesque Moravian town of Ždánice. Organized by the Czech Společnost pro meziplanetární hmotu (SMPH – Society for Interplanetary Matter), the summer meeting (Setkání SMPH) offered us fantastic professional programs, breathtaking travel experiences, and, of course, clear, starry nights.
The venue of the meeting, the Ždánice Observatory and Oldřich Kotík Planetarium, provided an extremely modern and inspiring environment. From the very first moment, the SMPH members welcomed us with amazing hospitality and a warm, family-like yet highly professional atmosphere.
Friday: Arrival and first light
We arrived at the venue in the afternoon, where right after registration we joined the friendly conversations. After a hearty, delicious dinner, the rest of the evening was spent in deep professional exchanges. It was great to see the enthusiasm of our Czech amateur astronomer colleagues and discuss current observation methods.
Although we were tired after the long journey, the sky wouldn't let us sleep! During the night, I set up my compact but highly efficient Seestar S50 smart telescope. I managed to capture some fantastic deep-sky objects, which is a great proof of what wonders this modern technology can achieve under a high-quality Moravian sky.
Saturday: Lectures, expeditions, and the peaks of the Himalayas
Saturday brought an extremely busy and rich professional program.
Presentation of the observatory (Karel Trutnovský): We started the morning by getting to know the observatory thoroughly. Karel Trutnovský guided us through the dome and the planetarium building, showcasing the station's modern instruments and technical background.
Observation of meteors and comets (Jakub Koukal): Following this, Jakub Koukal gave a highly detailed lecture on the modern visual and camera-based observation of interplanetary matter, meteor showers, and comets. We received many useful practical tips regarding the documentation of observations.
During the lunch break, we took the essential group photo of the meeting in front of the observatory, while casual conversations continued. The afternoon session offered a true virtual trip around the world:
Expedition to the island of La Palma (Jakub Černý): Jakub Černý's fascinating travelogue took us to the Mecca of astrophotographers, La Palma in the Canary Islands. During the presentation, we gained insight into the life of the observatories there and the opportunities provided by the perfectly dark skies.
Around Dhaulagiri – Himalayan journey (Karel Trutnovský): The crowning moment of the afternoon was Karel Trutnovský's Himalayan expedition. With the help of stunning, high-resolution photos and videos projected onto the planetarium's huge dome, we almost felt as if we were right there among the world's highest peaks, next to the majestic ranges of Dhaulagiri.
After Saturday's dinner, the night was once again dedicated to work and experiences: under the clear sky, I had another opportunity to take photos with the Seestar, while friendly conversations with our Czech colleagues continued in the background.
Sunday: Farewell and return home
On Sunday morning, we headed home, full of experiences, professional inspiration, and new plans.
We are deeply grateful to the SMPH team for the excellent organization and warm welcome. This meeting in Ždánice was not only extremely rich professionally, but also provided a perfect opportunity to strengthen cross-border friendships. Erika and I are sure we will return to the starry skies of the Czech Republic!
Written by: Tibor / Erika / GEM
The observatory website: Ždánická hvězdárna a planetárium Oldřicha Kotíka
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