Atronomy On Tap - June 2026

🌙✨ 𝐌𝐚́𝐧𝐢-𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐚: 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐋𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐨 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐧 ✨🌙

🕖 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲: 𝟭𝟵:𝟬𝟬–𝟮𝟭:𝟬𝟬

This edition of 𝗔𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗮𝗽 takes us to our nearest celestial neighbor as we explore how cutting-edge science, artificial intelligence, and space exploration are helping us uncover new secrets hidden on the Moon.

From Denmark’s first lunar mission to innovative techniques that transform ordinary photographs into detailed 3D maps, we’ll discover how scientists are preparing for the next era of lunar exploration.

🎤 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀

Our speakers for the evening are Iris Fernandes and Frederik Sørensen.

🌙 𝗜𝗿𝗶𝘀 𝗙𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝘀

Iris is a planetary scientist and geophysicist at the Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen. Her research focuses on developing innovative methods to measure the shape, topography, and physical properties of planetary surfaces from images, with a particular emphasis on the Moon. Working at the intersection of planetary science, geophysics, image analysis, and space exploration, she contributes to the development of new tools for understanding planetary landscapes and supporting future missions. Her work on lunar image analysis also helped inspire the scientific concept behind Máni, Denmark’s first mission to the Moon, where she serves as Data Product Lead.

🤖 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗸 𝗦ø𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗻

Frederik is a Master's student in Astrophysics at Aarhus University and part of the team preparing for the scientific challenges of the Máni mission. His thesis work explores whether neural networks and modern machine learning techniques can help analyze the vast amounts of data that future lunar missions will return. As part of the next generation of Danish space science, he works at the intersection of astronomy, machine learning, and lunar exploration.

🚀 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝟭: 𝗗𝗲𝗻𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸’𝘀 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗼𝗻

Before we dive into the science, Frederik will introduce 𝗠𝗮́𝗻𝗶 and explain how Denmark plans to send its first mission to the Moon.

Why are we going? What mysteries are we hoping to solve? What technology will get us there? And how can machine learning help scientists make sense of the data that comes back?

🌕 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝟮: 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝟯𝗗

How much can we learn from a single photograph?

Iris will introduce 𝗟𝗨𝗠𝗢𝗦, a new technique that uses images taken from different viewing angles to reconstruct the Moon’s shape and surface properties in remarkable detail.

Using light, shadow, geometry, and mathematics, scientists can transform ordinary lunar images into detailed 3D maps, revealing subtle features of the lunar landscape, identifying hazards, and helping prepare future missions for safe exploration.

We’ll also see how methods like LUMOS will play a crucial role in unlocking the science that Máni will deliver once it reaches the Moon.

🧩 As always, we’ll have our signature astro quiz — with stellar prizes for the winners.

🌠 We’ll wrap up with 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀, so you’re up to date on the latest happenings across the cosmos.

🌐 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲: 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵

📍 𝗩𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗼𝗼𝗺 at 𝗧𝗶𝗿 𝗻𝗮 𝗻Ó𝗴

🎟 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆: 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲! No reservations needed — but seating is limited, so arrive early.