900 visitors and lots of enthusiasm at SRON Open Days - SRON | Space Research Organisation Netherlands

Two open days

SRON held two open days, on Sunday 5 October in Groningen together with the Kapteyn Institute, and on Saturday 11 October in Leiden. In total, more than 900 people, young and old, visited us on these days.

People wearing polarised goggles, are looking at a lightsource from the far end of a table towards the photographer. They are vitising the open dy of SRON — Bezoekers onderzoeken wat er met licht gebeurt als je door gepolariseerd glas kijkt. Foto: Jelle de Plaa.

Scientific space research

At our locations, we introduced people to our scientific space research and also showed them how we provide the instruments needed to conduct that research.

Mensen zitten binnen in een opblaasbare dome, en kijken naar een projectie van de sterrenhemel. De host in het midden wijst iets aan. — Binnen in het mobiele planetarium wijst de host op de sterrenhemel. Foto: Jelle de Plaa

Earth's atmosphere, black holes, stars, planets

This includes our research into gas emissions in our Earth’s atmosphere, but also into supermassive black holes, the birth of stars, and the search for a second Earth and other distant exoplanets.

Technology and instruments

In addition to this research, we also discussed our technological research: how we are already developing technology for the future. And what more we need to design and build in order to get that technology into space instruments in the future.

Science for children

The programme included a wonderful science section for children. Future astronomers and earth scientists, who will later be able to use our technology, soldered satellites and enjoyed ice creams cooled with liquid nitrogen. They also learned a lot: in the planetarium, from astrochemist Doctor Dust, from the Molecule Hunters and from the superconducting maglev train.

A visitor to the SRON Open Day looks at a model of a forest fire, city and rubbish tip through special glasses. The panel behind it looks blue, but with his glasses on, the visitor can see molecules on the panel. His wheelchair is decorated with stars and planets and he is wearing a hoodie with space nebulae on it. — A visitor is wearing a space outfit on the SRON Open Day. He is using goggles to see the molecules hidden in the blues sky panel.

Nicely dressed up visitors

Many young visitors had dressed up for this visit, wearing astronaut suits or space jumpers, and we saw beautiful space mudguards on the wheels of a wheelchair. SRON employees also thoroughly enjoyed this enthusiasm and interest in our work.

SRON in the NL Space Pavillion at ESA/ESTEC

On Sunday 12 October, NLSpaceweek 2025 was not yet over. Thousands more visitors came to the open day at ESA/ESTEC in Noordwijk. We were also able to welcome many of them to our stand in the NLSpace pavilion.

Thanks to open day partners

We would like to thank all our open day partners, such as our close neighbours with whom we collaborated for the open days: the Kapteyn Institute and NOVA-group in Groningen and the Leiden Instrument Makers School in Leiden (LIS). Many thanks also to the organisers of NL Space Week, the Groningen science festival Zpannend Zernike, and Weekend van de Wetenschap.

A host at the entrance to the SRON open day stands next to a life-size cute mascot wearing a cleanroom suit. — The entrance to the open day in Leiden. Photo: SRON

See you next year?

To everyone who was there, or who should experience it one day: see you next year, in early October!