On Thursday evening, the Cortijo de Miraflores Cultural Center in Marbella hosted the 25th Astronomy Symposium organized by the Circle of Friends of the German School of Málaga Observatory. It was a very special evening celebrating 25 years of a shared passion for science.
Dr. Steffen Hagstotz, a researcher at the Munich University Observatory (LMU Munich), took the audience on a fascinating journey through time across the universe. From the cosmos’s largest structures to the Big Bang, and from the James Webb Telescope to dark energy, the lecture brought cutting-edge science closer to everyone present.
Prior to the public symposium, Dr. Hagstotz visited the German School of Málaga and gave an exclusive presentation for 11th and 12th-grade students. It was an extraordinary opportunity for the young people to interact directly with an LMU Munich researcher and ask their questions.
The event was fully booked. The audience—comprising families, students, teachers, and science enthusiasts from across the region—followed the lecture with great attention and posed numerous questions at the end. A break in the Cortijo de Miraflores garden offered a chance to continue the conversation under the starry sky, glass of wine in hand.
A very special thank you goes to Dr. Steffen Hagstotz for an unforgettable night; to the Circle of Friends of the German School of Málaga Observatory for 25 years of passion and organization; and to the Cortijo de Miraflores Cultural Center and the Marbella City Council for their support.
A very special recognition goes to Prof. Dr. Manfred Hirt, honorary professor at the Technical University of Munich, who for 25 years has organized and accompanied the symposium with great personal dedication and thanks to his extensive network of scientific contacts. Without him, this extraordinary format would not have been possible.
The next Astronomy Symposium will take place in the autumn of 2027.
