The warning came a few days before she resigned as Secretary General of the International Astronomical Union (IAU), a post to which she was elected in August 2018 for a three-year term.
The astronomer, who has studied Luz and pointed out problems for astronomy, is leaving office on August 26, but will continue to serve as an advisor to the UAI for three more years, with the opportunity to participate in the organization’s decision-making without the right to vote.
Teresa Lago highlighted the “polluting effect” of “thousands of microsatellites” on the “sky quality” observed at night as an “urgent problem”.
In his opinion, despite the fact that they are “extremely important for communication”, these small satellites limit the possibilities of astronomical observations, in particular, very distant celestial bodies, which have a weaker luminosity.
“Our telescopes spend their entire lives recording the passage of microsatellites because they are much brighter than distant objects,” he said, noting that UAI is “trying to influence builders” so “astronomy can continue” at all wavelengths of light.
One solution is to cover the microsatellites with “covers” to reduce their visibility from Earth.
In addition, the UAI is trying to convince countries to adopt “more mindful” street lighting that does not overshadow the sky view.
Teresa Lago believes that astronomy has an “important role” to play in mobilizing the urgency of tackling the effects of climate change, highlighting the sensitivity of astronomers, because of the work they do, to “the uniqueness of the Earth, to the difficulty of finding a point of view.” Earth “two” or almost impossibility to get Earth “two” or get there. “
“Land B does not exist,” he warned.
According to Teresa Lago, the covid-19 pandemic, which caused the UAI to postpone “many scientific meetings,” held remote work meetings and suspended educational schools for young astronomers, could be “a defining moment. to have a much more visible and more influential action. “
“We have no competence in the area of Earth’s climate, but UAI members are concerned, sensitive to the urgency of action,” he stressed, stressing that “when you work with space, when you see the Earth as a tiny planet. .. There are no boundaries, no races, no divisions. “
The International Astronomical Union was founded on July 28, 1919.
Portugal joined the organization in 1924 and is one of 82 countries with a seat in the General Assembly and the right to vote in board elections and on issues such as business plan and budget.
Funding for UAI, headquartered in Paris, France, and offices around the world, comes from member countries and private foundations.
In addition to the “national members” where the countries are represented by the institution (in the case of Portugal, the Portuguese Astronomical Society), the UAI has “individual members”, 12,167 active professional astronomers from 92 countries, including 78 Portuguese.
UAI is an organization that officially recognizes the assignment of a name to a celestial body, such as a planet, asteroid or constellation, and defines the fundamental physical and astronomical constants and astronomical nomenclature.
Scientific research, communication with the public, education, training and development of less affluent regions or countries based on astronomy are the “pillars” of the “home” that Teresa Lago felt “need to clean up” during her tenure as secretary. – general. He set the rules, created a code of conduct, approved a “strategic plan for the decade”, and attracted more women like her to participate in the events.
“I am happy despite the pandemic, which of course has complicated a lot,” he says.
