White Mars
What is it like to live on the White Mars? Daniele Tavagnacco has spent several frigid winters and endless summers at the Concordia research station in Antarctica. He describes the work of an astronomer at the Antarctic astronomical observatory and life at this remote outpost.
06. Oct 2025
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What is it like to live on White Mars? This time's guest, Daniele Tavagnacco, has spent multiple cold winters and endless summers at the Concordia research station in Antarctica. He described the work of an astronomer at the Antarctic astronomical observatory and life at this remote station. Among other things, he revealed what the night sky looks like from the icy desert, why cables snap, how to dress, and also why the surroundings of the station are not decorated with snowmen.
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Cover image: French-Italian Concordia research station in Antarctica. Image credit: ESA/IPEV/PNRA–C. Possnig.
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Notes |
- Introductory audio recording: author Daniele Tavagnacco
- The Association for Scientific Animation, with which Daniele collaborates: Science Industries
- Antarctica, a paradise for astronomers (in Italian)
- Italian National Research Program (PNRA) in Antarctica: https://www.pnra.aq/
- Concordia Research Station: https://www.pnra.aq/it/stazione-concordia
- Group photo of the 10th crew at Concordia (Concordia DC10): link
- Photos and blog from the Concordia station (from 2014): https://blogs.esa.int/concordia/2014/08/04/one/
- Concordia Station Tour: link
- Research stations on Antarctica: map, list
- Review article: Astronomy in Antarctica
- Animals in Antarctica: link
- Antarctica: Nature reserve for peace and science
- Antarctic Museum in Trieste: https://mna.it/sede-di-trieste/
- Icebreaker Laura Bassi: website OGS, Wikipedia, follow her journey on the map
- Laura Bassi: the first female head of a department at a university
Observations |
- (book) G. Cannat, “Glej jih, zvezde! Najlepši prizori na nebu v letu 2025”
- ISS passes: on the website Vesolje.net, on the website Heavens-Above
- Space weather on Space Weather.com
- Aurora Borealis (Slovenian page): https://severnisij.si/
- Phone applications: Stellarium, SkySafari, SkyPortal, Aurora (for Aurora Borealis)
- Desktop planetarium: Stellarium
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Logo: (modified) Moon image, credit: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio
Audio intermezzo: NASA/Hubble/SYSTEM Sounds (Matt Russo, Andrew Santaguida)
Music: Peli (Opravičujemo se za vse nevšečnosti)
Portal v vesolje podcast: Spotify, author: Jure Japelj
Podcast Temna stran Lune is part of the Zavoda Cosmolab activity network: https://www.cosmolab.si
