MEDSI 2016

WELCOME RECEPTION AT FABRA OBSERVATORY
Tuesday 13 September

At 415 meters above the sea level, there is the Fabra Observatory, one of the oldest astronomical observatory in operation in the world. 

In 1902, the Academy of Sciences and Arts of Barcelona (RACAB) decided to install an observatory at the top of the Tibidabo mountain. It was finished in 1904 and inaugurated by the King Alfonso XIII. The building offers a beautiful view of the Barcelona's skyline and has run without interruption since its inauguration.

The Fabra Observatory was equipped with a Maihlat telescope, which at present has incorporated digital technology. It has the code 006 in the International Astronomic Union. With that telescope, Josep Comas, the first director, was able to discover the existence of an atmosphere in Titan, the largest of the 9 satellites of Saturn know at that time. The atmosphere was observed by purely optical means, on the night of August 13th 1907 and was published in the Astronomische Nachrichten. 

GALA DINNER AT DRASSANES
Thursday 15 September 

The building of the Maritime Museum of Barcelona, a wonderful place built in the fourteenth century to host the Royal Shipyards.

Peter III of Aragon (Peter, the Great) ordered the construction of an exclusive space for the Royalty where they could build and maintain the galleys and the royal fleet. The first installations consisted of bare ground with towers at the corners (4 in total), surrounded by a wall with an outlet to the sea. Two of these towers still exist today.

VISIT TO THE ALBA SYNCHROTRON
Thursday 15 September 12:00h

Visit to the ALBA Synchrotron, the local organizer of the MEDSI 2016. A lunch will be held at 12:40h and the tour will start at 14:00h in groups of 20-25 people.