Author: Cyril Deicha
The Annual Meetings of the Liechtenstein Scientific Society and the Astronomic Working Circle took both place on Nov 5th
2019 in Schaan near the Observatory „Cassiopeia“. By chance, all
relevant decisions could be voted then! Nobody could guess that some
months later, all meetings were going to be cancelled due to the
corona-pandemic. Among the decisions unanimously voted was the final
confirmation of Liechtenstein’s application for 2 international
contests, the „Teachers Award“ of the EPS [1], and the „Exoplanet Naming Process“ of the IAU (International Astronomical Union) [2].
The publication of the results of the Exoplanet Contest
gave rise to a festive event in the physics lecture hall in Vaduz
(19.12.2019). Dr. Daniel Miescher, the Head of the Office of education,
awarded several participants. Newspapers reported about it, an the
event was broadcast on the national Radio [3].
During the New Year’s greetings ceremony (09.01.2020) at Vaduz castle,
I had the honour to explain to reigning Prince Hans-Adam II (whom I
knew is always very interested in science), some details about the
newly named Star and Exoplanet [4].
We participated in several international meetings, lectures and surveys (this year by videoconference): „National outreach coordinators“ (04.02), EPS council (29.05), Union
des Physiciens (13.06) , „Science teaching at distance“ (19.10), „Best
practices in science communication“ (23.10).
In a gap between two
sanitary lock-downs, a workshop on the Newton-Cassegrain telescope in
Schaan could be attended (09.09.2020) but it was difficult to hold
social distancing, thus there were no more such events.
We started „real-time events“ by means of WhatsApp video: an excursion showing the petrifying
springs in the alpine forest (Apr. 2020), a glance to mountain
illuminations and celestial objects on National Day (15.08.2020) [5], a unique observation opportunity of the Great Jupiter-Saturn conjunction during a short cloudless moment (22.12.2020).
Currently
we are preparing a chronicle and new internet platforms. The
possibilities of new media we discovered this year are indeed very
interesting, so we will develop them in the future.

C. Deicha, Liechtenstein’s nominee for the EPS Teacher’s Award giving a lecture in Vaduz ( 19.12.2019)
[1] Nominated: Dr. Cyril Deicha
[2] Nominated: „Fürstenplanet“ and “Liechtenstern“
[4] The IAU had surpisingly choosen „Umbäässa“ and „Pipoltr“ (name of insects in local dialect)
[5] Photo : Saturn, illuminated mountains above Vaduz by night
https://www.exclusiv.li/Portals/0/Gallery/Album/12334/_AEX_0035.jpg