SPHERE Summer School 2026 - Lake Alqueva Observatory

The SPHERE Summer School 2026 takes place from July 12 to 17 at the Lake Alqueva Observatory in Monsaraz, at the heart of the world's first certified Dark Sky® Reserve. Organised by NUCLIO – Núcleo Interativo de Astronomia e Inovação em Educação, this summer school brings together educators, researchers and science enthusiasts in one of Europe's best locations for night sky observation.

Over five intensive days, participants experience 28 hours of training, divided between 10 hours of lectures and seminars and 18 hours of hands-on workshops. The programme covers space exploration, observational astronomy, innovative methodologies for teaching STEAM subjects and digital tools applied to education. Participants have the opportunity to use professional telescopes and discover the Alentejo sky under minimal light pollution levels.

The school is open for applications under the Erasmus+ programme, with a deadline of February 19, 2026. The registration fee (€480 total, €80/day) includes all materials and equipment, bus transfer from Lisbon Airport to Monsaraz (round-trip) and participation in the complementary social programme, which offers the discovery of the medieval village of Monsaraz, Alentejo wines and regional cuisine.

The Lake Alqueva Observatory, inaugurated in 2016, was designed as a welcoming space to learn about the Universe, located by the Great Alqueva Lake in the heart of the Alqueva Dark Sky Reserve, a distinction awarded by the Starlight Foundation and recognised by UNESCO.

For those visiting Monsaraz in July, it is also possible to participate in the regular public astronomical observation sessions organised by the observatory, combining science, the Alentejo landscape and a unique experience under one of the darkest and most starlit skies in Europe.