On November 3rd 2013, Gabon and other countries in the central African region experienced a total solar eclipse. This was a unique opportunity. We ran a regional workshop for astronomy and space science in Libreville (Gabon). The workshop was held before the total solar eclipse, and is bound to become a biennial school for astronomy and space science for (west) central Africa. The driving purpose of the workshop is the development of a regional astronomy & space science research, teaching and outreach hub in west central Africa with an initial focal point in Gabon. The workshop consisted of compact lecture series covering basics of astronomy & space science to help participants teach and develop high school and/or undergraduate astronomy & space science courses; to start/continue with further astrophysics/space science studies themselves and/or to use these subjects in their professional duties. The hands on activities of the workshop were aimed at setting the foundations for future, more advanced workshops aiming at modern astronomical & space sciences techniques. Dramatically improving the local/regional outreach capacity will be a decisive outcome against which to measure the long lasting impact of this workshop. Since the workshop did precede the November 2013 total solar eclipse, two streams of parallel activities, aimed at the large public with an emphasis on learners/students were also offered, namely:
(a) an exhibition on eclipses, astronomy & sciences coupled to relevant public talks/hands on activities and multimedia sessions in one major cultural centre in Libreville (Gabon);
(b) mobile star gazing units consisting of a telescopes, galileoscopes, Binoculars and solarscopes.
More details on the workshop and these two related streams of initiatives are here.
Interestingly, as we were intending to start implementing our plan early in October, the additional possibility to couple it to the World Space Week (4-10 October) showed up. The later is a global annual event “to celebrate each year at the international level the contributions of space science and technology to the betterment of the human condition”, as declared by the United National General Assembly.
(a) an exhibition on eclipses, astronomy & sciences coupled to relevant public talks/hands on activities and multimedia sessions in one major cultural centre in Libreville (Gabon);
(b) mobile star gazing units consisting of a telescopes, galileoscopes, Binoculars and solarscopes.
More details on the workshop and these two related streams of initiatives are here.
Interestingly, as we were intending to start implementing our plan early in October, the additional possibility to couple it to the World Space Week (4-10 October) showed up. The later is a global annual event “to celebrate each year at the international level the contributions of space science and technology to the betterment of the human condition”, as declared by the United National General Assembly.
