17 communities of underrepresented groups around the world have been selected to receive telescopes signed by astronauts and Nobel Laureates. This is the first group of telescopes to be distributed by the Telescopes for All: Inspiring Stars & Stars Shine for Everyone Collaboration.

Telescopes for All is a collaboration between the International Astronomical Union Office for Astronomy Outreach (OAO), Stars Shine for Everyone (Sterren Schitteren voor Iedereen, SSVI) and Universe Awareness/University of Leiden. The programme seeks to broaden the horizons of children, parents and educators alike, to spark an interest in science, and to promote equal opportunities for pursuing a career in astronomy. The Telescopes for All programme is one of the legacy actions arising from the IAU100 rs celebrations and follows the successful collaboration in 2019. The 17 telescopes were donated by BRESSER [1].

The programme received 172 applications endorsed by the IAU National Outreach Coordinators (NOCs) from 34 countries. The selected proposals will bring telescopes to children in rural areas in Cameroon and Tunisia, migrants and refugees in Spain, and children with hearing and visual impairments in Indonesia and Nepal, to name just a few.

The telescopes have been awarded to the following proposals:

• Telescopes for All in the heart of Argentina, Villa Mercedes Astronomy Club, Argentina
• Seichu-Jurá Project, Sociedade de Astronomia do Maranhão, Brazil
• Making Space for All (MASA), The Astronomical Society of Brunei Darussalam, Brunei
• Telescopes for All in Cameroon, Bilingual Secondary School, Cameroon
• A Telescope for the Mangilaluk School in Tuktoyaktuk, Canada
• Telescopes for All in Chile, “Hermanos Carrera” School, Angol, Los Lagos Region, Chile
• Telescopes for All in the Dominican Republic, ASTRODOM, Dominican Republic
• Telescopes for All in Haiti, Haiti, Groupe Astro-Jeunes-Ado, Haiti
• The Universe for Everyone, Andromeda, Ahmad Dahlan University, Indonesia
• Astronomy is Open to Everyone, Asif n Ait Bounouh Association for Culture and Awareness, Morocco
• Telescopes for All in Nepal, Blind Rocks!, Nepal
• Telescopes for All in Panama, Panama Rainforest Discovery Center, Panama
• Mirando al Cielo, Paraguay
• Telescopes for All in Peru, Huaycán Cultural, Peru
• Socio-educative support for migrant and refugee children, Spain
• Telescopes for All in Tunisia, Enfidha Astronomy Club, Tunisia
• Astronomy for All, Saigon Astrokids (SAK), Vietnam

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, a digital camera will be provided with each telescope, so that outreach professionals and science educators can conduct their observations and share them safely with their community online until safety measures allow for face-to-face interactions.

Shipping of all the telescopes will begin in late September 2020, provided that COVID-19 safety measures allow. 

Notes

[1] The OAO and SSVI would like to acknowledge and thank BRESSER for donating the telescopes, Universe Awareness/Leiden University for shipping, and Solar Foil and GILBOS for their support of the project. The OAO and SSVI would also like to thank the following individuals and organisations who sponsored the physical assemblage of the telescope through SSVI: Rob Walrecht, Genie Hendriks, Koen Geukens, Wim Maats, André De Coster, Xavier Debeerst, Sterrenwacht Orion Streekbos, Amateur Astronomiedag Space Expo 2020, and Spectroscopiedag Sterrenwacht Tivoli 2019.

More information

The IAU is the international astronomical organisation that brings together more than 14 000 professional astronomers from more than 100 countries worldwide. Its mission is to promote and safeguard astronomy in all its aspects, including research, communication, education and development, through international cooperation. The IAU also serves as the internationally recognised authority for assigning designations to celestial bodies and the surface features on them. Founded in 1919, the IAU is the world's largest professional body for astronomers.

The IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach (OAO) is a joint project of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ). The mission of the OAO is to engage the public in astronomy through access to astronomical information and communication of the science of astronomy. This is implemented through a network of IAU National Outreach Coordinators (NOCs) and the IAU’s engagement initiatives with the public. The work of the OAO is about building bridges between the IAU and the global astronomy community, and through international collaboration, to make astronomy accessible to all.

Links

• IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach Homepage
• Telescopes for All
• Stars Shine for Everyone
• Universe Awareness

Contacts

Lina Canas
International Outreach Coordinator, IAU OAO
Tel: +81-(0)422-34-3966
Email: lina.canas@nao.ac.jp 

Jean Pierre Grootaerd
Stars Shine for Everyone
Email: jeanpierre.grootaerd@ugent.be

Lars Lindberg Christensen
IAU Press Officer
Garching bei München, Germany
Tel: +49 89 320 06 761
Cell: +49 173 38 72 621
Email: lars@eso.org