Expression of Interest: Hosting Astronomers Across Africa

/in , /by

Expression of Interest: Hosting Astronomers Across Africa

We’re thrilled to announce an exciting opportunity tied to the upcoming International Astronomical Union General Assembly in 2024 (IAU GA 2024), which offers a unique chance for people from all over the world to connect with counterparts in Africa for education, outreach and research collaborations. As we prepare for the first IAU General Assembly on the African continent (scheduled for 6 – 15 August 2024 in Cape Town), part of our objective is to foster networking opportunities, shed light on the potential career prospects in this field, and to engage as many individuals as possible to raise awareness in Africa about the captivating world of astronomy. To achieve this we need a collective effort and participation from all quarters.

In this context, the Outreach and Education Committee and the Science Committee for the African Astronomical Society (AfAS) and the IAU GA 2024 are seeking organisations willing to host international guests for science, outreach and education activities during the month of August 2024; before, during, and after the IAU General Assembly.

Our guests will be traveling from across the globe to attend the IAU GA 2024 in Cape Town. We want to offer them the chance to visit other African countries and various cities in South Africa for science collaborations, education and outreach activities and general networking opportunities, not to mention sharing the beauty of our continent with them.

This presents an incredible opportunity to create a real impact, inspiring communities to ensure that the benefits of astronomy and scientific exploration are accessible to all. We invite organisations and institutions interested in hosting astronomers, and who are passionate about enhancing scientific literacy, to join us in this meaningful initiative. Together, we can spark curiosity, foster learning, and unlock the potential of young minds throughout Africa.

If you’re interested in becoming a host, kindly complete the expression of interest form. Hosts will be selected by the African Astronomical Society and the GA 2024 National Organising Committee. For any inquiries or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at outreach@astronomy2024.org

Africa day 2023!

/in , , , /by

Come join us in celebrating Africa and Astronomy in Africa this Africa Day on 25 May!

#AfricaLookUp #AfricaDay

As we celebrate Africa Day on the 25th of May, let us use this day to reflect on and appreciate the remarkable achievements made by the nations and individuals on this African continent. We should recognise that these successes have come through hard work, perseverance, and a deep understanding of the unique challenges that Africa faces. Yet, despite these difficulties, Africans have shown extraordinary resilience and a determination to succeed. As we commemorate Africa Day, let us commit ourselves to harness this spirit of resilience and creativity to continue advancing towards a brighter future for Africa and its people.

In honour of Africa Day, turn your eyes to the stars and embrace the wonders of the cosmos. Astronomy is a gateway to understanding our place in the universe and the unique role that Africa plays in it. It offers a platform for cross-cultural collaboration and opens doors for scientific and technological advancements. Therefore, we encourage you to use this day as motivation to promote and engage in astronomy activities. Whether it be stargazing, attending astronomy lectures, or participating in community outreach events, we can show the world the depth of talent and creativity that Africa has to offer. Together, let us create a brighter future for the continent through the exploration of the cosmos.

Share your African experience with us!

We’d like the World to get involved and celebrate what Africa means to them.

We encourage everyone to share an original picture or short video (under 5 mins) based on what you most love about Africa or your favourite African experiences. This could be anything: you can tell us about your culture, language or share your fondest memory from your time in Africa.

  Examples could include:

  • An interesting or beautiful place in Africa
  • A welcome to where you live in Africa, in your home language
  • People in cultural clothing/indigenous attire
  • Videos of singing and celebration, storytelling, reciting poetry, etc
  • Pictures of the African dark night skies
  • Pictures of your astronomy community/facilities in Africa
  • A Drawing, image or painting showcasing aspects of astronomy in Africa
  • Videos of people greeting in their home languages

Please share your photo/story/video on social media platforms using the hashtags #AfricaDay and #AfricaLookUp, alternatively, you can also email us your submissions to info @ astronomy2024.org (with “Africa Day Submission” and your name as the subject line) and we will share them on our website and social media platforms.

Astronomy 2024 Full Moon Hike

/in , , /by

Efforts are underway as we gear up for the International Astronomical Union’s General Assembly 2024 meeting. Our Ambassador and University of Cape Town (UCT) student, Venu Prayag, organized a Full Moon Hike which was held on Tuesday, 7 March 2023. Although the weather threatened to spoil this exciting event, we were, fortunately, able to proceed and enjoy a great evening outdoors, and experienced the scenic beauty and beautiful city lights and night sky from the top of one of Cape Town’s must-see destinations, Lion’s Head, which offers picturesque and breathtaking views of the city.

Everyone was amazing in helping and caring for one another and made this a fun and safe experience for all. It was inspiring to hear members of the public getting excited about spotting Venus on the horizon and their stories about stargazing in the Kruger National Park.

We are looking forward to more fun and educational activities in the future and hope a lot more of you can join us.

NB: Look out for a call for more ambassadors to be released soon.

#astronomy2024 #IAUGA2024 #GA2024Hike

Full Moon Hike

Séances virtuelles du Orion AstroLab

/in , /by

The ORION Astro Lab project (training for club leaders in astronomy) is running lectures (in French) from 12 to 14 May 2022.

OUT NOW: African Science Stars, Special Astronomy and Space issue

/in , , , /by

Science Stars is pleased to announce the availability of the second issue of its quarterly African Science Stars magazine. Physical copies of the magazine are currently being distributed whilst the full magazine can also be downloaded online in PDF format.

Acknowledging the rise of Astronomy in Africa this latest issue delves deep into African Science trends, the team visit Sutherland and Botswana, three key leading lady scientists are profiled, Africa’s Top 10 Astronomy Universities are profiled, Egypt’s Dr Somaya Saad gives us the history of Astronomy in Egypt, upcoming Astronomy events are listed and this issue further carries more stories that give the young prospective reader insights on funding, trends and science factsheets. There are also a number of interactive give-aways in this latest issue as well as Space Science career insights.

The digital copy of African Science Stars can be downloaded on issuu.com (search for “African Science Stars Issue 2”) or go directly to: https://issuu.com/africansciencestars/docs/african_science_stars_issue_2 or https://assap.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/ASSIssue2.pdf online. 

African Science Stars is distributed throughout South Africa, SADC countries and selected northern African countries. Primarily to: Science Centres, Universities, High Schools, Astro tourism sites, Road shows, Astronomical societies, Government ministries, Political parties’ offices, AU (via Africa Desk), Embassies ( via BM Diplomatic Consulting), Government libraries, DSI, SAAO, SARAO, SAASTA, SANSA, NRF, AFAS, AFAS Members, SADC STI, GCIS, African Space Agency, African Planetarium Society, IAU-OAD and the Ethiopian Space Science and Technology institute. The magazine is also available at selected Airport’s business lounges, Hotels and BnBs and libraries. 

African Science Stars magazine’s objective is to promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to high school learners in rural and township schools throughout Africa. The magazine is edited by award-winning editor and academic, Unathi Kondile, who holds an MA in Media Studies from the University of Cape Town. Kondile works closely with the Department of Science & Innovation, the African Astronomical Society (AfAS), the International Astronomical Union Office of Astronomy for Development (IAU OAD) and various university staff members in science faculties.

 Websites: www.assap.co.za  |  www.africansciencestars.com  | https://issuu.com/africansciencestars/docs

For more information contact the editor: Unathi Kondile on +27 (0)82 619 8937 or email unathi@sciencestars.co.za

Celebrating Asteroid Day Across Africa

/in , , , /by

Africa is celebrating Asteroid Day with a series of events starting on June 30th. Join us in the celebration from wherever you are! Thanks for our colleagues from AfAS who have compiled this list.

BENIN

Sirius Astro-Club, Benin will organise its first event at the University of Abomey-Calavi on 30 June
https://www.facebook.com/Sirius-Astro-Club-Bénin-104882745154428/

BOTSWANA

Astronomical Society of Botswana organised “Tracing Motopi Pan meteorite to its origin in asteroid belt”, a talk on 24 June, presentation available at https://astronomicalsocietyofbotswana.org/events/

COTE D’IVOIRE

Des conferences sont organisées sur ce thème, par l’Association Ivoirienne d’Astronomie, 10-12 am, 30 June, a LASMES ex LAPA-MF

EGYPT

A talk in Arabic organised by NRIAG, Egypt on 23rd June. You can listen to it at https://youtu.be/2vspetf9TF0

ETHIOPIA

A day long event at Akako Menubichu Primary School by Entoto Observatory on 30 June

GHANA

“This Day Rocks!”, a rocking online zoom session by the Ghana Planetarium team featuring talks, Q&A and a quiz. 5-6.30 pm, 3rd July, Register for zoom link at https://forms.gle/aXrpMFmugr7nQUiAA

Africa Scientific Renaissance Day celebration by MESTI and GAEC, 28-30 June, 10 am. Register at www.tinyurl.com/gaec-asrd 

Event on 7th July at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

KENYA

“Exploring space whilst keeping Earth safe”, talk at 2.00 pm on 2 July.
www.join.skype.com/GZnhmTHr2eXb 

MADAGASCAR

Haikintana – Astronomy from Madagascar is also organizing a week long celebration:https://web.facebook.com/photo?fbid=328001578892899&set=a.249855260040865

NIGERIA

‘Rocks from space: is the Earth im danger?’, a talk by Univ of Nigeria, Nsukka, 10 am WAT, 30 June. 
www.asteroidday.org/event/rocks-from-space-is-the-earth-in-danger-2 

SUDAN

STEMSudan is organising events for school students, with lectures and sky observations on 4-7 July
www.facebook.com/stemsudan 

TUNISIA

Many lectures on asteroids organised by Tunisian Association of Young Astronomers and IAU OAO, 9 am to 5 pm, 30 June
https://www.facebook.com/AstroTunisianTaya/
https://www.facebook.com/pg/OAOTUNISIA/posts/

For more information on Asteroid Day, see https://asteroidday.org.

Dr. Charles Takalana in the news

/in , , , /by

In this great interview, Dr. Takalana, who also coordinates the African Astronomical Society Secretariat, shares his passion for the stars and the spirit of inquiry that has drive him to reach a PhD in Astronomy. He, like so many in his position, is working very hard at spreading the benefits of astronomy to the people. Well done Charles!

Celebrate Africa Day on May 25th with your stories of the Moon

/in , , , , /by

25 May is celebrated as Africa Day every year. There will be a lunar eclipse on 26 May this year, which cannot be seen from Africa, but – the whole world share the same sky, right? And as Africans we have always had a special relationship with the Moon.

Therefore, we want to use the Moon to bring all of us Africans together. In collaboration with the African Astronomical Society, we invite you to share your stories and songs about the Moon. 

How to take part:

We invite you to create a 2-3 minute video on your phones of your stories and songs, either as a selfie or of someone you know telling it. Send them to us through

WhatsApp: +27 (0)82 403 0908
Email: outreach@afasociety.org 

We will celebrate Africa day by sharing your stories with the world. Please also send us your name, email address and location. 

Header photo: by GEORGE DESIPRIS from Pexels

© 2023 IAU General Assembly 2024 – Cape Town