Estonian – Czech Competition in Astronomy took place in Tõravere

Tiit Sepp | 31.08.2016

The first international astronomy competiotion - The I Estonian-Czech Astronomy olympiad was held from 21st to 28th of August 2016 in Tõravere. There were 11 participating students from Estonia and 8 from the Czech Republic. 

Eesti Tšehhi maavõistlus astronoomias 2016

The competion format was similar to the IOAA - the International Olympiad of Astronomy and Astrophysics. With the only exception that instead of excursions students had joint study sessions, they still managed to get to go to some excursions and visited the Tartu University natural history museum, the AHAAA science centre, the Tartu University old observatory and city trips to Tartu and Tallinn. The competition was in three rounds: theory (50% of total) and observation and data analysis (25% each).

The competiotion was tough and this time the visitors won the first place. The total ranking was:  1 -Jindrich Jelinek (CZE, best in theory) , 2 - Taavet Kalda (EST, best in data analysis), 3 - Lukas Supik (CZE), 4 - Richard Luhtaru (EST), 5 - Jonatan Kalmus (EST), 6 - Paul Kerner (EST), 7 - Airon Johannes Oravas (EST), 8 - Adam Gres (CZE, best observer). In the middle and behind you could also find the following Estonian pupils: Nikita Poljakov, Kaarel Kivisalu, Hannes Kuslap, Mikael Rinne, Elis Sõõrd and Czech pupils: Pavel Kus, Jiri Vala, Hana Lounova, Adrian Morky, Jaromir Mielec - students.

Competition was organized by the researchers of Tartu Observatory - Tiit Sepp, Rain Kipper and Tõnis Eenmäe and Czech team was lead by Jakub Vosmera and Stanislav Fort. The I Estoninan Czech Astronomy olympiad was coordinated by Tartu Universitys School of Sciences and it was funded or helped by The Ministry of Science and Education, Hasartmängumaksu Nõukogu, Tartu Kultuurkapital, AHHAA centre, University of Tartu old observatory, Estonian Physics ociety.

Sample problem

Eclipsing binary stars have ”normal” magnitude of m=9.5m, in primary minimum m1=10.0m and secondary minimum m2=9.6m. What is the ratio of the radii of the stars? Find all possible solutions given the information provided.