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News - Date: 19 June 2009
As part of the International Year of Astronomy (IYA) 2009, Limpopo Astronomy launched an outreach initiative in collaboration with the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST) that will see astronomy brought to aspiring stargazers in some of the more remote parts of the province.
The project’s goal will be to reach as many people (scholars, children, adults, young and old) during the remainder of IYA 2009 and will be similar to a road show, with astronomy-related activities and displays during the day, followed by an evening of stargazing.
Some of the activities that the audience will be able to participate in will be the building of a basic refracting telescope (giving a view similar to what Galileo had 400 years ago) and a Star Wheel showing how the evening sky, depicting the stars and constellations, appears at specific times in the evening.
Part of the exhibition will be posters showing our place in the universe and the Milky Way, the Solar System and on view for the first time in the region, a series of posters showing how astronomy, the age of our earth and our fossil history are all related. During the evening, images of the moon, planets and various deep-sky and stellar objects will be shown on a big screen via a camera attached to the telescope. Information on the objects that are visible will be available and a presentation of “what’s up” will also be done. This tour of the evening sky will point out the constellations, stars and planets that are visible, as well as mythology and folklore relating to them.
On June 26, Limpopo Astronomy will visit the Tshipise area and some of the venues for the remainder of the year will include Mokopane, Tzaneen, Thohoyandou, Sibasa, Musina, Blouberg, Polokwane, Lephalale and Louis Trichardt.
Limpopo Astronomy would like to thank the following individuals, businesses and organisations for their commitment, support and sponsorship in helping to promote this outreach initiative in the region. They are Auke Slotegraaf (Southern Star Wheel), Edward Foster from Biospoor (fossil posters), the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO, MoonScope), Leach Printers, Maranga Phanda Office National, the Zoutpansberger and the Limpopo Mirror.
Anyone who would like to participate in IYA 2009 and be part of the Limpopo Astronomy Outreach Project can contact the project manager, Mr Kos Coronaios, on 079 148 4934.
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