European Hands-on Universe: bringing frontline interactive astronomy to the classroom – is a European project that aims to innovate Science teaching using Astronomy and the new Information Technologies.

EU-HOU aims to bring the enthusiasm of scientific discoveries and the pleasure of doing science to the young pre-university generation, through exercises and activities designed based on school curricula and dealing directly with real data and procedures used by scientists.

Currently, technological development allows students to carry out their own astronomical observations, using an internet-based network of robotic optical and radio telescopes or with didactical tools such as Webcam. Students manipulate and measure images in the classroom environment, using the specifically designed software SalsaJ, within pedagogical trans-disciplinary resources constructed in close collaboration between researchers and teachers.

The target group of this project are middle and high schools teachers.

The project gathers eight European countries and is coordinated by:
– Université Pierre et Marie Curie (France).

NUCLIO is the Portuguese coordinator in this partnership.

In 2009, the project EU-HOU was honoured with the Silver Award of the European Commission, in the category “Information and Communication Technologies”, at the occasion of the conference “Create, Innovate and Cooperate” of the  Lifelong Learning Programme.

Project website:
https://www.euhou.net/