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Warsaw exhibition traces Poland's role in space exploration

21.02.2024 13:00
The National Museum of Technology in Warsaw has opened an exhibition that highlights Poland's role in space exploration.
Photo:
Photo:PAP/Leszek Szymański

The show, entitled All the Telescopes of the World: History of Space Exploration. Polish Contribution to the Exploration and Conquest of Space, offers a deep dive into the history of space exploration, beginning with the revolutionary work of Galileo and his telescope, and moving through the evolution of these instruments up to the present day's sophisticated optical and space-based telescopes.

At the heart of the exhibition are the contributions of Polish scientists and engineers to the field of astronomy and space exploration.

The display shines a light on Nicolaus Copernicus, the Renaissance mathematician and astronomer who radically altered the scientific model of space, demonstrating that the Earth orbits the Sun, not the other way around.

The exhibit also celebrates Johannes Hevelius, known for his detailed 17th-century lunar maps, and—closer to our time—Mirosław Hermaszewski, who made history in 1978 as the first Polish cosmonaut.

The project acknowledges the work of Kazimierz Kordylewski, who discovered ephemeral "dust moons" at the Earth's Lagrange points, and Aleksander Wolszczan, the astronomer credited with finding the first exoplanets.

Also highlighted is Sławosz Uznański, an astronaut and engineer gearing up for a mission to the International Space Station.

This exhibition is a celebration of Poland's contribution to space exploration and an educational journey through the advancements in astronomical research and technology.

For those fascinated by the cosmos, Polish contributions to science, or the evolution of space exploration technology, the exhibition is a good starting point for deeper exploration.

The National Museum of Technology is Poland's premier institution for exploring the history of technology and science.

It houses a broad array of permanent exhibitions on a multitude of subjects, from radio engineering to transport, the development of computers, Poland's contributions to global scientific and technical heritage, and the exploration of energy sources, featuring Ignacy Łukasiewicz, a pioneer in the oil industry.

(rt/gs)

Source: PAP