2026

Kaiser-leden August 2026

kaiser-leden@mailman.strw.leidenuniv.nl

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Kaiser Newsletter 2
by Kaiser 22 Aug '26

22 Aug '26

August 22nd, 2026 Dear you, After a trip to Thailand and a busy EL CID, I’ve enjoyed a week of being more or less a couch potato. Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration: as future board, we’ve been quite busy planning the upcoming year to make it at least as memorable as the last! In fact, I’m sending this email from our policy days where we’re not only bonding as a board, but also getting a headstart on next year. But let’s take a step back, because the EL CID week was quite remarkable, especially if you are/will be an astronomy student. The universe rewarded us with a solar eclipse AND the peak of the Perseid meteor shower in ONE NIGHT. And simultaneously, the Netherlands rewarded us with clear skies. And if that wasn’t enough astronomy for one evening, we continued the streak by giving you what we think was an amazing observing night at the Old Observatory!! But while a new moon makes for good observing circumstances, the planets decided they didn’t really want to join in on the fun. However, Saturn did make an appearance after midnight, which, for me, was definitely a highlight! Let’s hope there are more targets for the OWL observing night next week! To end this newsletter, I’d like to introduce a new rubric to replace the Cat of the Week introduced by Bentwee: The Star of the Week! If you have an astronomical object, pet, or other “star” (up to your own interpretation) you would like to see in the spotlight, you can upload a photo, short text, or idea using the form that you can find below! Hoping you all have a stellar last week of vacation, Lyra Vranken, Ab Actis, On behalf of (Future) Board 34 - f.t. Dragonfly Contents * Past activities + EL CID Observing Night * Upcoming activities + OWL Observing Night + Astroborrel * Star of the Week * WhatsApp group chat * Confidential Counsellors and University Support Systems Past Activities EL CID Observing Night Just over a week ago, we welcomed 40 potential new Kaiser members at the Old Observatory during the EL CID. We observed Albireo, Andromeda, Saturn, Vega, and some other stars. Some first-years also laid down on the roof to look for the Perseid meteor shower which peaked later in the evening. We also heard a lot of them went to see the eclipse at various places around Leiden. It was a great success and we hope all these aspiring members will join become Kaiser members this year and attend our activities!! Upcoming Activities OWL Observing Night - 26th of August If you missed our EL CID observing night, don’t despair: we have another opportunity coming up very soon! Join us at the Old Observatory (Sterrenwachtlaan 11) on August 26th from 22:00 onwards for the OWL observing night! Joined by students attending the OWL this time, we will use three of the Old Observatory's telescopes to explore the night sky above us. If you would like to join, don’t hesitate to come by! Astroborrel - 7th of September September is just around the corner, and that means it’s time for our first activity of the year: the Astroborrel!!! Join us in the Fusie in the Gorlaeus building (Einsteinweg 55) on the 7th of September for a drink!! It’s a great way to get to know us, new people, and (other) Kaiser members! We hope to see all of you there and don’t forget to put on your favourite space socks!! You can sign up below! Astroborrel Sign Up Form (https://us.list-manage.com/rC8V97o7ywY?e=3439c5f259&c2id=84aa061cf996d2e477…) Star of the Week For the first rendition of our new rubric, we’d like to highlight the open cluster M34 (there’s no bias here of course ;)). This cluster, also known as the Spiral Cluster, is a large cluster in Perseus whose stars are distinguishable with any ordinary telescope in dark enough skies. It’s roughly 470 pc away and has a true radius of about 7.5 ly. In very dark skies, it’s even visible by naked eye!! Perhaps you can try to find it next time you find yourself deep in nature at night! https://us.list-manage.com/AgJLVB5qrOE?e=3439c5f259&c2id=84aa061cf996d2e477… Image credit: Bob Franke / NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD). Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) and Jerry Bonnell (UMCP). A service of ASD at NASA/GSFC, NASA Science Activation & Michigan Tech. U. Upload your star here (https://us.list-manage.com/17wOKKxQQui?e=3439c5f259&c2id=84aa061cf996d2e477…) Or send your star to Lyra (+31 6 22 39 95 34) WhatsApp group chat Whether you're new to Kaiser or have been with us for a while, you may not know about the Kaiser WhatsApp group chat. Through this platform, we share the lates updates on activities, highlight current astronomical events, and simply enjoy chatting with fellow astronomy enthusiasts. If you'd like to join, just click the link below! WhatsApp Group Chat (https://us.list-manage.com/xtV1kBw0hQI?e=3439c5f259&c2id=84aa061cf996d2e477…) Confidential Counsellors and University Support Systems If you feel like you need help, know that there are many points of support all around you at all times. You can always reach out to us as board for any solace we can possibly offer, and our study advisor Wouter Schrier (studyadvisor(a)strw.leidenuniv.nl (mailto:studyadvisor@strw.leidenuniv.nl) ) is always available to talk. Don't hesitate also to make use of the University facilities for support, by looking at the resources on this website (https://us.list-manage.com/nXDf2wGJI5A?e=3439c5f259&c2id=84aa061cf996d2e477…) or by booking an appointment with one of our student psychologists (through 071 - 527 8026 or psychologen(a)sea.leidenuniv.nl) (https://us.list-manage.com/ciefeHjd8iL?e=3439c5f259&c2id=84aa061cf996d2e477…) . I'd also like to draw your attention to the Confidential Persons of De Leidsche Flesch and the Observatory Allies of the STRW. We have collected some resources (https://us.list-manage.com/bYNp6XEUjQY?e=3439c5f259&c2id=84aa061cf996d2e477…) which we as students can reach out to in case there is any situation or person within the university that makes us feel uncomfortable, unwelcome or threatened. If you have any experiences of this kind, don't hesitate to reach out to any of us within the board or the contacts listed in the link. Know, that there are always many people within the university who are ready to listen, help or act accordingly where needed. Board L.A.D. 'F. Kaiser' Retmer Tak Benthe ten Berge Sim Janssen Suzanne van Elten Lukas Biesma Future Board L.A.D. 'F. Kaiser' Constance Latreille Lyra Vranken David Gzib Tessa Huesken Sara Drapkin Johannes Bregman Contact: L.A.D. 'F. Kaiser' Einsteinweg 55 2333 CC Leiden kaiser(a)strw.leidenuniv.nl https://us.list-manage.com/kVUzNA6lelP?e=3439c5f259&c2id=84aa061cf996d2e477… Instagram (https://us.list-manage.com/WODqoAM4CMq?e=3439c5f259&c2id=84aa061cf996d2e477…) https://us.list-manage.com/1A1ONjUmViH?e=3439c5f259&c2id=84aa061cf996d2e477… Facebook (https://us.list-manage.com/u9uWTQL99do?e=3439c5f259&c2id=84aa061cf996d2e477…) mailto:mailto:kaiser@strw.leidenuniv.nl Email (mailto:mailto:kaiser@strw.leidenuniv.nl) https://us.list-manage.com/mMmYYCCLTa6?e=3439c5f259&c2id=84aa061cf996d2e477… Website (https://us.list-manage.com/74loCDlB0Am?e=3439c5f259&c2id=84aa061cf996d2e477…) https://us.list-manage.com/vUeVOSQj8A8?e=3439c5f259&c2id=84aa061cf996d2e477… Discord (https://us.list-manage.com/BQV58La_ZhU?e=3439c5f259&c2id=84aa061cf996d2e477…) https://us.list-manage.com/WYoqtcBj37G?e=3439c5f259&c2id=84aa061cf996d2e477… WhatsApp (https://us.list-manage.com/hwYDsqtizYv?e=3439c5f259&c2id=84aa061cf996d2e477…) This email was sent to kaiser-leden(a)mailman.strw.leidenuniv.nl (mailto:kaiser-leden@mailman.strw.leidenuniv.nl) why did I get this? (https://leidenuniv.us9.list-manage.com/about?u=ee42d5d69d5747ea761beb05b&id…) unsubscribe from this list (https://leidenuniv.us9.list-manage.com/unsubscribe?u=ee42d5d69d5747ea761beb…) update subscription preferences (https://leidenuniv.us9.list-manage.com/profile?u=ee42d5d69d5747ea761beb05b&…) L.A.D. ‘F. Kaiser’ . Einsteinweg 55 . Leiden, 2333 CC . Netherlands Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp https://login.mailchimp.com/signup/email-referral/?aid=ee42d5d69d5747ea761b…

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Kaiser Newsletter 1
by Kaiser 08 Aug '26

08 Aug '26

August 8th, 2026 Dear you, In less than a month (time really does fly), it's time for a new academic year. But don't despair! A new year means you guys get an amazing new Kaiser Board and lots of fun activities! Last year, Board 33 took us 2.7 million lightyears away to the Triangulum Galaxy. This year, we're staying a little closer to home... Where to? I'm afraid you'll have to hang on a little longer to get that answer: although I have taken over the torch from Benthe for the newsletters, thus starting the 34th Kaiser Board's journey, the final destination will only be reached at the first GMM in September. So if you're curious about where we're taking you, be sure to be there! Luckily, your crew members aren't so secretive. So, sit back, buckle in, and get ready for an astronomical journey: it's time for blast-off!!! 3... 2... 1... Introducing f.t. Dragonfly!: Praeses: Constance Latreille Ab Actis: Lyra Vranken Quaestor & Vice-Praeses: David Gzib Assessor Old Observatory: Tessa Huesken Assessor Outreach: Sara Drapkin Assessor ICT: Johannes Bregman A very fitting name to take on during our flight don't you think? Scroll down to find an introduction of each member of your crew!! I can't wait to be your Ab Actis for the year 2026-2027!! For now, enjoy the rest of your summer and don't forget to look up at the sky every once in a while! Astronomical regards, Lyra Vranken Ab Actis On behalf of (Future) Board 34 - f.t. Dragonfly Contents * Meet Future Board 34: f.t. Dragonfly * Upcoming activities + EL CID Observing Night * WhatsApp group chat * Confidential Counsellors and University Support Systems Meet Future Board 34: f.t. Dragonfly Praeses: Constance Latreille Hello everyone! My name is Constance, I am a 23 years old master student in Astronomy Research and I will be L.A.D. Kaiser’s Praeses for the coming year! I am originally from France (but don’t hold it against me please) and I studied in Canada for my Bachelors before moving to the Netherlands. Outside of university, I like to read and I really enjoy spending time at the beach! Last year I was involved in the Spring Lectures Committee, together with Lyra and David! We had a lot of fun and I really liked being involved in Kaiser, so I thought why not go for the board this year! I applied keeping in mind what board Triangulum achieved and the values they promoted throughout the year, and I hope our board will inspire you to get involved in Kaiser as well, no matter the extent :) I am looking forward to getting to know all of you and I am super excited to organise fun activities with my fellow board members for us all to enjoy. As Praeses, I pay particular attention to the board dynamics, making sure that everyone is feeling good. I also make sure that we communicate properly with the other associations and people in contact with Kaiser, and that we are on track to have a fun and productive year! Ab Actis: Lyra Vranken Hi! I'm Lyra, I'm 20, and I'm very excited to be starting both my master in Astronomy and Cosmology as well as my Kaiser Board year in September! Although I'm afraid you're not getting a third Benthe in a row as Ab Actis, you do have a second clarinet playing Ab this year :) Besides playing clarinet, I also like to read, draw, and play harp when I'm back in Brussels, which is where I'm from. I always think it's funny that my name is a constellation and means harp and now I study astronomy and play the harp. Very coincidental don't you think? I also love hiking, climbing, and, surprisingly (I think it's shocking too), running! I'm the Ab Actis of Board 34, which means I take the minutes during both board and general members meetings, manage the action points, and take on other little organization tasks here and there. Besides that, I will also write the bi-weekly newsletter you're reading right now, along with other emails that will appear in your inbox throughout the year. I only really got involved with Kaiser last year, when I did the Spring Lectures Committee with Constance and David. It was very fun, and I loved organizing the lectures, so I decided I wanted to continue organizing astronomy activities as a board member! I'm very excited, and I hope we can make this year as unforgettable as the last! I can't wait to meet and get to know you all! Quaestor & Vice-Praeses: David Gzib Hi, I'm David and I will be Kaiser's Quaestor and Vice Praeses this year. I will also be finishing my master in Astronomy - Cosmology this year. As a quaestor, it is my responsibility to ensure that we have the budget to organize all of our amazing events and that all the spending is well documented. Last year, I was a member of the Spring Lectures Committee which was a great experience, as we could share our passion for Astronomy with the public, and motivated me to join the board this year. I'm really looking forward to this board year and everything we have planned! Outside of Astronomy, I like going to the gym, the beach, playing chess, and having way too much screen time. Assessor Old Observatory: Tessa Huesken Helloooo lovely Kaiser friends! I am Tessa and I’ll be your assessor Old Observatory this year :) I’m also starting my third year of the bachelor astronomy and I’m looking forward to both! You may have already seen me at one of the observing nights during the previous year, because I was part of the Observity committee. You can also spot me at the Old Observatory gazing through one of the telescopes or giving tours. Since I really enjoy(ed) being at the Old Observatory with you, I decided to become assessor Old Observatory. This means I’ll be communicating with the associations there and provide building trainings, among others. I’m very enthusiastic about the upcoming year, together with the rest of the board we’ll do our best to make awesome memories with you! :) Outside of Kaiser and my studies, I love to play football (I really hope we’ll manage to have our annual Kaiser football tournament at the end of the following year) and I love reading, playing games, and listening to music. If you have any fun facts about football, urban planning, linguistics, or astronomy (or basically anything), please enlighten me :) Assessor Outreach: Sara Drapkin Hi! My name is Sara, I’m 24 and from Barcelona and I will be your Assessor Outreach this year. This means I will be the one in contact with all of you, making sure you are up to date with all the amazing activities we will organize for you, by creating the posters you will see hanging around and on the social media (the Whatsapp groupchat and Instagram mainly). I will also be keeping contact and building relations with other associations and institutions within the Observatory and outside of it, so we can bring Kaiser even closer to the Astronomy community. Last year I was part of the Observity committee, so I have met some of you already, and it was one of the best decisions I made, giving me a space to be creative and have fun outside the studies. In September, I will start my second year of the Astronomy master, so you will be able to catch me almost every day in some master’s office, the library or outside (if the weather allows it :/) working on Kaiser posters and uni stuff (a bit more boring, but it has to be done). So don’t hesitate to say hi or to ask me anything if you see me! I also love cats, so if Bobby is around you can also find me petting him (and I will be deeply grateful if you notify me when you see him so I can run outside). In my free time I enjoy reading and listening to music, I have played the violin for 10 years so I’m missing playing it quite often. I’m really excited to start this year’s journey, I think really interesting experiences will happen and I hope you all will enjoy them! Assessor ICT: Johannes Bregman Hi everyone! My name is Johannes, I'm 20 years old and I will be your Assessor ICT this year! As Assessor ICT, I'll be responsible for keeping Kaiser's digital side running smoothly, mainly by maintaining and updating the website and wiki. Last year, I was part of the Historical Committee, where I learned a lot about the history of astronomy in Leiden while also getting to know a lot of great people. I really enjoyed being involved with Kaiser, which made me want to contribute even more to the association by joining the board this year! Outside of astronomy, I enjoy listening to music, playing and watching sports, and debating philosophy, whether silly or more serious. So if you ever feel like debating the meaning of life (it's 42), arguing whether there are more wheels or doors (definitely wheels), or just talking about music or sports, feel free to come find me! I'm really looking forward to the coming year with the rest of the board and everything we have planned for Kaiser. I hope to see you soon at one of our activities! Match the fun fact Now that we've introduced ourselves a little, see if you can match the fun facts to the right board member. You can find a link to the answers below. 1. I have 365 books on my want-to-read list 2. I once took a solo trip to Ireland 3. I do a New Year's swim in the sea every year 4. I usually need around 10 alarms to wake up in the morning 5. I'm a massive Harry Potter fan 6. I went to the cinema to watch instagram reels on the big screen Answers (https://us.list-manage.com/6TnmCKpr9i3?e=3439c5f259&c2id=84aa061cf996d2e477…) Upcoming Activities EL CID Observing Night - 11th, 12th, or 14th of August Although we're not officially board yet, we've been working a lot behind the scenes and are proud to present our first activity: the EL CID observing night!! Come by the Old Observatory, Sterrenwachtlaan 11, on August 11th, 12th, or 14th (depending on the weather), from 22:00 onwards! Joined by students attending the EL CID, we will use (two of) the Old Observatory's telescopes to hopefully study the sky. The observing will probably take place on the 12th, but the exact date will be communicated later. If you would like to join, message me (+31 622399534). WhatsApp group chat Whether you're new to Kaiser or have been with us for a while, you may not know about the Kaiser WhatsApp group chat. Through this platform, we share the lates updates on activities, highlight current astronomical events, and simply enjoy chatting with fellow astronomy enthusiasts. If you'd like to join, just click the link below! WhatsApp Group Chat (https://us.list-manage.com/DLS_Ii8utvO?e=3439c5f259&c2id=84aa061cf996d2e477…) Confidential Counsellors and University Support Systems If you feel like you need help, know that there are many points of support all around you at all times. You can always reach out to us as board for any solace we can possibly offer, and our study advisor Wouter Schrier (studyadvisor(a)strw.leidenuniv.nl (mailto:studyadvisor@strw.leidenuniv.nl) ) is always available to talk. Don't hesitate also to make use of the University facilities for support, by looking at the resources on this website (https://us.list-manage.com/s4e4KkERGbQ?e=3439c5f259&c2id=84aa061cf996d2e477…) or by booking an appointment with one of our student psychologists (through 071 - 527 8026 or psychologen(a)sea.leidenuniv.nl) (https://us.list-manage.com/LW2FnR7t78u?e=3439c5f259&c2id=84aa061cf996d2e477…) . I'd also like to draw your attention to the Confidential Persons of De Leidsche Flesch and the Observatory Allies of the STRW. We have collected some resources (https://us.list-manage.com/nnVRJoJZSYT?e=3439c5f259&c2id=84aa061cf996d2e477…) which we as students can reach out to in case there is any situation or person within the university that makes us feel uncomfortable, unwelcome or threatened. If you have any experiences of this kind, don't hesitate to reach out to any of us within the board or the contacts listed in the link. Know, that there are always many people within the university who are ready to listen, help or act accordingly where needed. Board L.A.D. 'F. Kaiser' Retmer Tak Benthe ten Berge Sim Janssen Suzanne van Elten Lukas Biesma Future Board L.A.D. 'F. Kaiser' Constance Latreille Lyra Vranken David Gzib Tessa Huesken Sara Drapkin Johannes Bregman Contact: L.A.D. 'F. Kaiser' Einsteinweg 55 2333 CC Leiden kaiser(a)strw.leidenuniv.nl https://us.list-manage.com/1NNApniPZK5?e=3439c5f259&c2id=84aa061cf996d2e477… Instagram (https://us.list-manage.com/YoW_1I_AoQg?e=3439c5f259&c2id=84aa061cf996d2e477…) https://us.list-manage.com/vkQc_HovJVh?e=3439c5f259&c2id=84aa061cf996d2e477… Facebook (https://us.list-manage.com/7BCBVoENflj?e=3439c5f259&c2id=84aa061cf996d2e477…) mailto:mailto:kaiser@strw.leidenuniv.nl Email (mailto:mailto:kaiser@strw.leidenuniv.nl) https://us.list-manage.com/d31huzvflHQ?e=3439c5f259&c2id=84aa061cf996d2e477… Website (https://us.list-manage.com/13jeZrX_CKt?e=3439c5f259&c2id=84aa061cf996d2e477…) https://us.list-manage.com/C2nedQu5sSn?e=3439c5f259&c2id=84aa061cf996d2e477… Discord (https://us.list-manage.com/ZJCGDTtt_b2?e=3439c5f259&c2id=84aa061cf996d2e477…) https://us.list-manage.com/10GZjIRkP3x?e=3439c5f259&c2id=84aa061cf996d2e477… WhatsApp (https://us.list-manage.com/ZG0UAtd7h8W?e=3439c5f259&c2id=84aa061cf996d2e477…) This email was sent to kaiser-leden(a)mailman.strw.leidenuniv.nl (mailto:kaiser-leden@mailman.strw.leidenuniv.nl) why did I get this? (https://leidenuniv.us9.list-manage.com/about?u=ee42d5d69d5747ea761beb05b&id…) unsubscribe from this list (https://leidenuniv.us9.list-manage.com/unsubscribe?u=ee42d5d69d5747ea761beb…) update subscription preferences (https://leidenuniv.us9.list-manage.com/profile?u=ee42d5d69d5747ea761beb05b&…) L.A.D. ‘F. Kaiser’ . Einsteinweg 55 . Leiden, 2333 CC . Netherlands Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp https://login.mailchimp.com/signup/email-referral/?aid=ee42d5d69d5747ea761b…

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2026

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