CERN Open Days The LHC demystified!

Lots of surprises are being planned for the CERN Open Days scheduled for 5 and 6 April (see 21 January edition of the Bulletin).

Fred’s itinerary on 6 April 2008
9.00 a.m Departure from SM12 at CERN (the pit down which all the LHC magnets were lowered into the tunnel)
9.15 a.m. Saint-Genis theatre
10.00 a.m. Roussillon communal hall in Crozet
10.50 a.m. La Chenaille communal hall in Echenevex
11.40 a.m. CMS Building SX5 at Cessy
2.30 p.m. La Forge communal hall in Versonnex
3.30 p.m. Le Levant communal hall in Ferney Voltaire
4.40 Forum in Meyrin
5.30 p.m. Main Auditorium at CERN

For instance, Fred, who fronts the French television programme "C’est pas sorcier" on France 3 will be taking part in the Open Day for the general public on Sunday, 6 April. He will be on board a CERN lorry carrying a 35 tonne 15 m long dipole magnet and will make halts at eight Swiss and French communes around the LHC Ring to meet the local inhabitants (see map). This exceptional load will be preceded by a vehicle carrying a member of the welcome staff and 12 children of members of the CERN personnel. In the communal hall at each stop there will be a screening of the special programme devoted to CERN broadcast in December.

This programme, which was designed to explain the mysteries of matter to children, will also be screened in CERN’s Main Auditorium.

After each screening, Fred will be available to answer questions from the general public such as: How was the programme made? Is the "C’est pas sorcier" studio really in the lorry used in the programme? etc.) and to sign autographs for children. A CERN physicist will also be on hand to answer questions on particle physics.

All children of members of CERN’s personnel living in the communes along the route are invited to submit an application to accompany Fred in the CERN vehicle for one leg of his journey. The application form will be posted on the CERN intranet site soon. Make sure you don’t miss it!