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AFRICAN SCIENCE STARS

ASTRONOMY DURING COVID African Science Stars Covid-19 Edition | www.africanastronomicalsociety.org

African Science Stars Covid-19 Edition | www.africanastronomicalsociety.org

SAVE THE DATE CONFERENCE OF THE AFRICAN ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY

AFAS 2021 8-11 MARCH 2021

CAPE TOWN SOUTH AFRICA African Science Stars Covid-19 Edition | www.africanastronomicalsociety.org

CONTENTS

CONTENTs 7

COVER FEATURE – THIS JAM–PACKED FEATURE HIGHIGHTS VARIOUS COVID–19 COMMUNITY PROJECTS ACROSS AFRICA

team

African Science Stars

Editor • Shani Tsai

2 2 3

NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Graphic designer • Stacey Swartz

astronomy in THE SADC REGION

HOW COVID–19 AFFECTED THE ANNULAR SOLAR ECLIPSE

3 3

SPACE EXPLORATIONS IN 2020

ASTRO TOURISM – WE HAVE YOUR POST –PANDEMIC BUCKET LIST SORTED

Contributors • Yunus Manjoo • Sivuyile Manxoyi • Prospery Simpemba • Nirij Mohan Ramanujam • Ramasamy Venugopal • Zakiyah Ebrahim • Nicole Ludolph • Chireez Fredericks

CAREERS – WE HAVE INFORMATION ON FOLLOWING A CAREER IN ASTRONOMY

Chairman • Madambi Rambuda Subscriptions • info@assap.co.za Website • www.assap.co.za

TOP FIVE – ASTRONOMERS TO LOOK UP TO

Copyright 2020 Science Stars Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or any means, electronically or mechanically, without prior permission. African Science Stars is published by Science Stars.

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African Science Stars Covid-19 Edition | www.africanastronomicalsociety.org

FOREWORD

"LETTER FROM the AfAS President It has been almost two years since the African Astronomical Society (AfAS) was relaunched in South Africa at the Astronomy in Africa meeting, and a new Executive Committee elected. The AfAS has achieved several milestones since then, and now has a fully operational office thanks to the hard work of the Executive Committee, the South African Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and the Office for Astronomy for Development (OAD).

During these past few months, our lives have been severely disrupted, we have faced great hardship and uncertainty because of the novel Coronavirus disease of 2019 (Covid-19). The AfAS inaugural conference (AfAS2020) had to be postponed to 8-11 March 2021 due to this pandemic. This difficult decision of the AfAS Executive Committee to postpone the conference to a later date was taken out of concern for the safety and well-being of the participants. The Executive Committee and the Local Organising Committee have commenced early preparations for next yearâ€™s meeting and details will be published in due course. The assumption is that international travel restrictions will be lifted by all countries by March and that the pandemic would have subsided sufficiently to allow for large gatherings. However, the number of participants is anticipated to be reduced since there is a risk of a "second wave" of virus transmission. Many initiatives are currently in progress at AfAS â€“ our strategy is guided by our long-term vision and efforts of the various subcommittees. The office of the Secretariat has been established and earlier this year we announced that the Society has been entrusted with the responsibility to provide management and organisational oversight for Pan-African astronomy initiatives, including the African Planetarium Association (APA), the African-European Radio Astronomy Program (AERAP) and African Science Stars Astronomy Publication (ASSAP). AfAS is well on its way to becoming a remarkable institution with a unique history as well as a deep commitment to excellence, achievement and impact.

Despite the restrictions imposed by countries to curb the spread of Covid-19 both locally and internationally, AfAS has continued with its activities with the focus being on developing plans for the next three years. However, the planned publication of our first truly African magazine has been delayed to March 2021 and we look forward to this publication which will profile, in particular, astronomy and related activities in the various regions through partnerships that have been established with the East, West and Southern African Regional Offices of Astronomy for Development, with future issues concentrating on all regions as the network is developed. To recognise the work currently being done and to inform our African brothers and sisters on exciting developments in astronomy on the African continent during the past year, it gives me great pleasure in introducing this special ASSAP issue which focuses on our astronomers and others who have used astronomy as a tool to mitigate the severe, negative impact of Covid-19. In line with the vision of being the voice of astronomy in Africa and to contribute to addressing the challenges faced by Africa through the promotion and advancement of astronomy, AfAS supported an Extraordinary Call for Covid-19 related proposals led by the OAD. Details of these projects are provided in this publication together with several activities highlighting the excellent work being done within a constrained environment on the African continent. On behalf of AfAS, I thank all contributors to this special publication and hope that our readers will enjoy the content and assist in enhancing our networks across the continent and elsewhere. AfAS looks forward to working with the members of the Society and the astronomy community in the years ahead. We appreciate your continued support and would like to take this opportunity to wish all our colleagues and fellow astronomers good health and safe living during these uncertain times.

Jamal Mimouni AfAS President

African Science Stars Covid-19 Edition | www.africanastronomicalsociety.org

SCIENCE STARS FOLLOW US ON BUILDING LEGENDS

SOCIAL MEDIA

Science Stars is supported by: • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

The Department of Science and Technology CSIR African Science Stars University of Stellenbosch UCT SANRAL @AfriScienceStars Shanduka Foundation Old mutual NSFAS @africaastronomy UJ Engen Scifest Africa Shanduka black umbrellas SAASTA TCTA

Science Stars is distributed to all 9 South African provinces by ELTINSEF.

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COVER COVER FEATURE FEATURE

CARING DURING COVID-19 THE AFAS SUPPORTED THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SEVERAL PROJECTS THAT AIM TO UPLIFT COMMUNITIES DURING AND AFTER THE PANDEMIC. WE TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THESE PROJECTS ENTAIL. Covid-19 has had a significant impact on health systems, the world economy, food security, education, mobility and communities. The current situation requires response through various interventions and in recognition of this, the International Astronomical Union/National Research Foundation Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD) released an extraordinary, fast-tracked call for proposals for projects or partnerships that in some way use astronomy - including skills, methodologies, tools, infrastructure, inspiration or even networks of astronomers/ enthusiasts themselves - to help reduce some of the negative effects of the pandemic. Three astronomy organisations - OAD, AfAS, and APA - have come together to fund small projects to enable communities to overcome some of the effects of Covid-19. A total of 43 projects were selected and granted a sum of 804 443 ZAR (approximately â‚Ź40 000). The AfAS Executive Committee is happy to announce that we have supported five of the proposals received by the OAD as part of our Covid-19 response, to a sum of 100 886 ZAR (approximately â‚Ź5 000). This is in line with the vision of AfAS to be the voice of astronomy in Africa while contributing to addressing the challenges faced by Africa through the promotion and advancement of astronomy.

The funded projects include those using astronomy in remote teaching and learning programs to continue engaging students during school closures, providing follow-up capacity building for teachers involved in refugee camps, reaching elementary and high school children through art and providing families with hygienic supplies. The projects also include educational, astronomy-based material for the children and their families to enjoy while at home, and the acquisition of recyclable personal protection equipment (PPE) and handwash for laboratory activities and awareness sessions. The AfAs- funded projects are based in Tanzania, Algeria, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and South Africa.

A list of all projects funded under this call can be found at: astro4dev.org/results-of-extraordinary-call-for-covid-19related-proposals/

African Science Stars Covid-19 Edition | www.africanastronomicalsociety.org

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NIGERIA ASTRO-ART CONTEST FOR SCHOOL KIDS

This project was aimed at elementary and high school kids (7-17 years old) who have been home due to the lockdown across Nigeria. The kids were encouraged to enter the competition by using their unique idea of what space is to paint a picture – from space in general to life on mars and aliens in outer space, among other ideas. These are some of the exciting questions the awareness team gets asked each time they have astronomy outreaches at schools. The kids were asked to submit their artwork via a Google form link. Once the call for entries closed, all entries were judged and scored by a team of astronomy and arts experts, who then voted for the top three paintings in each of the two categories. The winning paintings are featured on Astronomers Without Borders (AWB) Nigeria Blog at awbnigeria.org and there will be a video interview of the winners on the AWB YouTube channel.

An update on the project by Nompumelelo Mtsweni: Overall, the project is going extremely well and it will soon be completed, thanks to the financial support from the International Astronomical Union - Office of Astronomy for Development and the collaboration with team members from the University of Pretoria’s Data Science for Social Impact (DSFSI) namely Dr Vukosi Marivate and Herklaas Combrink and some members from Afrimapr namely Anelda van der Walt and Dr Andy South. It’s been a long journey from when we started to collect the data, to using the data for different purposes including writing a paper that was accepted for the KDD humanitarian mapping workshop, to improving the quality of the data. For each deliverable of this project that has been shared with the public, there has been a positive reaction from people who are in different professions and who are located in different places. I was happy to receive a letter in August from someone all the way in India who was inspired by one of the map visualisations that is part of the project! On Twitter there are many likes and retweets of this work.

SOUTH AFRICA COLLECTING AND VISUALISING HEALTHCARE FACILITY DATA

The project aims to collect and effectively communicate data related to the South African healthcare system and its response to Covid-19. Most of the publicly available information around the pandemic pertains to the number of positive cases recorded, number of tests conducted, recoveries and number of Covid-19related deaths. Less data is available describing healthcare systems’ capacities, locations and readiness to cater for those infected. Having easy access to healthcare facility data is hugely important to identify gaps, risks and excess resources that can be deployed elsewhere. It also helps the general public to understand the status of the healthcare system. Data collected will be published under a Creative Commons license to facilitate re-use. Source code for the data visualisation platform will also be released under an open source license. The visualisation dashboard will be freely accessible, and anyone with access to a reliable internet connection and a smartphone or entrylevel personal computer will be able to access the resources. The implementation of the project has already commenced. Currently preliminary data collected as part of the DSFSI collaboration are being visualised in a platform developed using a WebGL-based library, kepler.gl. The primary target audience is the general public of South Africa who have an interest in the healthcare system status related to Covid-19. Data journalists, government decision makers, and NGOs may also find the data and visualisations useful.

African Science Stars Covid-19 Edition | www.africanastronomicalsociety.org

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African Science Stars Covid-19 Edition | www.africanastronomicalsociety.org

AVIATION DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA Aviation Development In Africa is a registered non profit organization which consists of young aviators. Our aim is to bring aviation awareness to the youth from under developed & rural areas to different aviation careers. We annually host one of our biggest events #EveryBarHasAStory where we give the learners a platform to learn more about aviation and interact with different professions in the aviation industry. Our mission is to spread aviation awareness and our secondary mission is to fund aspiring aviators in the near future. To Find out more about Aviation Development in Africa these are our social media platforms

AVIATION DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA

FLYING WITH A PURPOSE FLYING WITH A PURPOSE

Aviation Development In Africa

Avaiton_dev_Africa

Aviation_ADA

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NIGERIA SUPPORT FOR INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS

Due to insurgency in several parts of Northern Nigeria, there are over two million displaced persons in the country spread across camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) and host communities. In Abuja, there are 28 000 IDPs residing in different camps in the city. In 2019, OAD sponsored the IDP Children's Astronomy Outreach Project in Kuchingoro, FCT. The camp has over 2 500 inhabitants mostly living in overcrowded rooms and shared facilities, including the 500 children that are benefitting from the solar-powered learning hub installed in their camp ground. Due to the fact that their facility is overcrowded leaves ground for easy spread of Covid-19 virus if an index case arises in their camp. With this proposal, the plan was to make provision of handwashing stations at strategic areas of their camp, as well as create posters in Hausa and English about the dangers of Covid-19, precautionary measures and lifestyles changes that they should take into cognizance. Also, the plan was to provide hand sanitisers, disinfectants, face masks, other general cleaning supplies and food supplies to cater for all the people present in the Kuchingoro IDP camp.

A partnership with Stitchs Aid Foundation would be beneficial, as they have been of great help on the 2019 IDP Children's Astronomy Outreach Project by providing mosquito nets for the IDPs. An update on the project by Onuche Ogu: Last year, my team and I worked on the 2019 IDP Children's Astronomy Outreach Project, where we built a solar powered learning hub as one of the key deliverables of the project. OAD graciously supported us with another grant this year for the Covid-19 support for the IDPs at the same location. The aim of the support project is to create awareness of the dangers of the virus, build a wash station for handwashing, distribute sanitisers, facemasks, create posters that highlight precautionary measures against the virus and to distribute relief materials. The project is about 85% complete. We have partnered with the Refugee Commission (a government agency) and they are to play an active role in the launch of the project. We are about to settle for a launch date with the representatives of the refugee commission. The only aspect left to finish the project is the installation of the wash station which we plan to do once we have a set date.

African Science Stars Covid-19 Edition | www.africanastronomicalsociety.org

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African Science Stars Covid-19 Edition | www.africanastronomicalsociety.org

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TANZANIA DISTANCE LEARNING FOR HOME-BOUND STUDENTS

This project directly addresses the education barriers posed by the Covid-19 pandemic facing the world. For nearly two months all schools in Tanzania were closed to minimise the spread of Covid-19, affecting more than 10 000 000 primary and secondary students. In countries with stable, affordable internet access, applications such as WebEx, Skype, and Zoom enabled students to remain engaged in virtual classrooms. In developing countries such as Tanzania where online access and computers are very limited, the situation is quite different. If remedies are not taken soon, Tanzanian students will suffer from this setback, falling behind in a country where education is already below global standards. The distance learning project enables teachers to continue engaging their students using simple, online facilities appropriate for the limited internet and families who do not own a computer. This project builds on the core objective of the Mt. Meru Astronomical Observatory (MMAO) to support quality education. In collaboration with teachers, students and school administration from five schools in the Meru district, MMAO has piloted a distance learning program using its website. This is how the functioning of the project was planned: a) Teachers prepare assignments and learning materials; b) MMAO technical experts upload teachergenerated material to the MMAO website; c) Teachers share MMAO hosted material hosted to the students via WhatsApp groups;

d) With parental support, students download material using a smart phone. e) For those students without any access to the internet (no smart phone in their home), MMAO has prepared printed packages for pickup by the students, following safe Covid practices. MMAO will expand its reach, working to leave no student without engagement. An update on the project by Elineema Nassari: This project was well-received by our students and their parents. We had three types of distance learning… First, we used the WhatsApp chat application to send lessons to students. They were required to download these lessons using their parents’ phones and then had to attempt to answer the questions. The challenge with this method was that many in the lower economy do not have a smart phone and the few who do have one weren’t willing or able to let their child use it for several hours to complete the lessons. Second, we uploaded the home packages on our website mmao.space and asked students to download the questions and attempt to complete them. They were then required to upload their answers for feedback. The challenge was that many students have no computers or no internet access so we got very few students who used this type of distance learning. Considering the many challenges faced with the WhatsApp and website methods, we came up with the idea of printing learning material and using motorcycles to deliver the packs to several collection points where students could collect one. My suggestion for the future is that the government, society and parents should try to make plans to move to the world of technology because we never know what will happen which will force people to depend on technology.

African Science Stars Covid-19 Edition | www.africanastronomicalsociety.org

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GHANA

Project objectives: - To support the residents around the GRAO with PPEs; - To educate the residents about the GRAO and the benefits of astronomy to the community/country; - To sensitize the residents about Covid-19 and how to protect themselves from the virus.

DISTRIBUTION OF PPES TO HOUSEHOLDS

The global health crisis has affected economies and activities worldwide, and the science development/ outreach programs around the Ghana Radio Astronomy Observatory (GRAO) have also been disrupted. The GRAO has seen a lot of refurbishment over almost a decade from being a redundant telecommunications dish to a radio telescope. The majority of the students and the general public are not aware of this astronomy project, nor of the huge potentials of astronomy to the country and the opportunities therein in the second phase of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project. We intend to reach the community comprising of 5 000 people and 2 000 students around GRAO with the message of astronomy while distributing face masks, hand sanitisers and other personal protective equipment (PPEs) to them. An update on the project by Joshua Kalognia: Promoting Radio Astronomy in Ghana through School Visits and Astronomy Clubs (PRAGSAC) in collaboration with the Ghana Space Science Technology Institute (GSSTI) was at Kutunse on 12 August 2020 to distribute face mask, flyers, sanitisers, liquid soaps and veronica buckets to the residents around the GRAO.

The team, with the help of the Assembly member of Kutunse electoral area and the Director of the NCCE for GA West/Amasaman, reached residents around the GRAO and distributed six veronica buckets (for washing of hands), 1 000 face masks, 2 000 flyers, 206 hand sanitisers and 15 liquid soaps to the residents as well as discussed astronomy as appropriate. We were able to reach eight areas around GRAO with the message of astronomy and Covid-19 safety protocols. Most of the residents were amazed about the function of the radio telescope at the GRAO and were looking forward to visiting the GRAO to learn more about astronomy and how the telescope works in doing radio astronomy research.

The team was made up ofâ€Ś

Joshua Kalognia, Proven-Adzri Emmanuel, Eugene Okwei, Zeba Mubarak, Benedicta Woode, Theophilus Ansah-Narh, Rubby Aworka, Evans Owusu, Bawah Abanga, Henry Ayuk Agbor, Jimi Nanewortor, Richard Adonteng, Dominic Osei Owusu, Caroline Doe, Bright Tachie, Patrick Lamptey, Sylvia Amuah (Nurse), Andrews Ofori Larbi (Director of NCCE), Honorable Selina Avevor (Assembly member) and Collins Gyamfi (NCCE driver).

African Science Stars Covid-19 Edition | www.africanastronomicalsociety.org

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ALGERIA E-AMANAR: UNDER THE SAME SKY CONNECTION

Amanar is an outreach project to inspire the Sahrawi community through the wonders of our universe and promote peace, mutual understanding and a sense of global citizenship under the same sky. The project facilitates the development of scientific skills such as critical thinking by performing hands-on activities and sky observations. Moreover, the program promotes teacher workshops to encourage educators to use astronomy as a didactic tool to contribute to the improvement of the quality of teaching in the region. This project will provide follow-up capacity building for teachers involved in the 2019 Amanar project at the Sahrawi refugee camps near Tindouf by organising a pilot online training program and providing science educational materials. The remote strategy will allow to support teachers on how to introduce astronomical concepts in their lectures, to support teachers on efficiently using online astronomical educational materials, and to offer a discussion platform to exchange knowledge. The project will also provide science educational materials to teachers' schools, as we have identified lack of materials is one of the main educational issues, a situation expected to be worsened with the pandemic.

of the International Astronomical Union Office of Astronomy for Development, the project accomplished two phases in 2019 involving activities both in the Canary Islands and the refugee camps near Tindouf (Algeria). During the summer, hands-on astronomy activities and visits to professional observatories in the Canary Islands were organised for the Sahrawi children and their host families participating in the Holidays in Peace program. In October 2019, Amanar organised educational activities and teacher training at the Sahrawi refugee camps and donated kits of educational material. An ethnographic study on the Sahrawi traditional knowledge of the sky was also conducted. In total, 635 children, 66 teachers and 150 people from the general public participated in the project activities. An update on the project by Jorge Rivero González: At the moment we are about to complete the development phase, where we are co-creating the materials with input from the Sahrawi teachers to ensure that the content is relevant and organising the science education material that will be provided to teachers. From mid-October to mid-December we will implement the different lessons through WhatsApp focusing on fostering interaction with teachers. This is a pilot project to test the feasibility of this kind of remote online support for Sahrawi teachers within the context of the Amanar project.

The primary target audience of the project are the teachers of the Sahrawi refugee camps. The goal is to directly engage and collaborate with at least 20 teachers, which, in turn, would allow us to indirectly reach around 400 students. The Sahrawi population has been living in refugee camps located in the driest part of the Sahara desert since 1975. For over 40 years, they have struggled with very limited access to basic resources and urgent humanitarian needs, as identified by UN agencies, waiting for the self-determination referendum promised by the United Nations in 1991. The Covid-19 pandemic has temporarily halted all humanitarian aid activities other than basic services and food distributions. Regarding education, one of the key challenges identified by humanitarian organisations is the discontinuation of capacity building for teachers. As a response to challenges imposed by Covid, the e-Amanar project is strengthening support to teachers by remote skill development and self-empowerment activities. Scarcity of computers and lack of reliable internet connectivity is a reality at the camps, so the program will be carried out via WhatsApp, which is efficient to low internet connection and teachers can use it easier through their mobile phones. Working in close collaboration with the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), the Asociación Canaria de Amistad con el Pueblo Saharaui, an organisation of solidarity with the Western Sahara from the Canary Islands (Spain), and with the support 16

African Science Stars Covid-19 Edition | www.africanastronomicalsociety.org

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African Science Stars Covid-19 Edition | www.africanastronomicalsociety.org

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ETHIOPIA ROLE OF ASTRONOMY AND SPACE SCIENCE IN FIGHTING VIRUSES

This project aims to develop educational material and give more information and visibility about Covid-19 and other viruses and on how important is the role of science in general, and astronomy and space science (A&SS) in fighting them. It will include development of manual in a form of Q+A or 50 facts, reflecting brief questions and clear answers on what we learned about Covid-19 and other viruses, what we still have to learn, and how important was and will be in future the role of A&SS in knowledge creation and prevention and protection of society from disasters. It will also include the list of protection/prevention tips/ recommendations adapted to Ethiopian conditions and/or societies leaving in challenging conditions. Some of the main objectives are: - Inform society about the role that A&SS may play in fighting Covid-19 and other viruses; - Inform society about the facts related with COVID-19 and other viruses; - Develop highly didactic, easy to understand, and attractive educational material, that can be multi-functional and used on longer-term; - Facilitate the information for as many people as possible in Ethiopia and abroad, including people with visual or hearing difficulties; - Promote A&SS for society development. The manual will be developed in English and translated into Ethiopiaâ€™s official languages. It will be accessible as soft and hard copies, and will also be prepared as a presentation to facilitate teaching and learning. Two versions - with sound and with sign language - will be developed for people with visual and hearing difficulties. Electronic material will be distributed through the ESSTI website, social networks and media. It will be distributed to the schools, and associations and societies that work with different populations, including those working with visual and hearing impaired people. Update on the project by Mirjana Povic: This project is still in its initial phase will have a full update by December 2020.

African Science Stars Covid-19 Edition | www.africanastronomicalsociety.org

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SOUTH AFRICA REACH FOR THE STARS

The Karoo Hoogland Municipal area include the small rural towns of Sutherland, Fraserburg and Williston in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. The town of Sutherland is hosting the South African Astronomical Observatory with the biggest optical telescope, namely SALT in the Southern Hemisphere. The biggest economic sector was agriculture for a long period of time, however, since 2001 astro tourism has created a lot of direct and indirect opportunities to the community of Sutherland especially. But due to the Covid19 pandemic outbreak, the tourism sector has come to a complete standstill, which has had a ripple effect in the larger communities as it impacted negatively on unemployment, businesses closing down and an increase in anxiety as these parents are uncertain as to what the future holds. Astronomical research in South Africa would have celebrated its 200 years of existence this year. The need in these communities and the circumstances caused by the pandemic presents the astronomy community with an ideal opportunity to inspire. The project aims to provide 200 families with a food parcel, equal to the number of years the science would have celebrated to families in Sutherland, Williston and Fraserburg. The South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) has been very active in these communities and would partner with the schools and SAPS to ensure the food reach the most vulnerable households in the communities, especially where learners are present. The SAAO will contribute the vehicles and staff of the Sutherland SALT Collateral Benefits program to implement this project successfully. This might just inspire the next generation of scientists from these communities because we care! An update on the project by Anthony Mietas: We have not yet implemented the project as we intend to combine it with the 200 year celebration of Astronomy, who has contributed an additional R50 000 towards this project, with the intention of assisting 200 households in Sutherland with Covid-19 relief in December 2020.

African Science Stars Covid-19 Edition | www.africanastronomicalsociety.org

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SOUTH AFRICA Providing hygienic supplies to families at high risk of infection

Informal and partially informal settlements in South Africa are incredibly vulnerable to the spread of the Covid-19 virus. This is due to an extremely high population density, which makes selfisolation extremely difficult; a lack of access to running water and/or hygienic facilities; a high fraction of the population being part of the informal economy or in low-skill employment, which makes remote working impossible; and a high incidence of comorbidities such as Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and other diseases among the population. The sharing of communal toilets and taps for running water also compound issues by making proper hygiene practices and social distancing virtually impossible. The community of Khayelitsha was the first underserved community in the Western Cape province to confirm cases of Covid-19 among its population. The number of confirmed cases in the community have almost doubled in three days, a period in which the Western Cape as a whole has seen an increase of only 25%. Khayelitsha is in urgent need of access to hygienic supplies to protect itself from the Covid-19 virus and slow its spread. Children in Khayelitsha face a complete stall in their education due to school closures, as they are unable to access online educational resources from home. In collaboration with the Khayelitsha-based Molo Mhlaba Primary School, this project aimed to provide the families of its 110 students with hygienic supplies, while also including educational, astronomy-based material for the children and their families to enjoy while at home in order to keep the students inspired and engaged in learning during the lockdown. 20

An update on the project by Margherita Molaro: Schools were reopened on 6 July after a nearly five months of home schooling for the Molo Mhlaba girls. The reopening was done in stages, starting with Grade 2s, then grade 1s the following week and grades 3-6 joining in the third week. Currently, 83 learners have returned to school and are back in class with their teachers and peers. Learners are permitted to join Covid-19 protocol training before they can return to class. It is really important that learners attend the training in the new classroom set-up and that the school follows procedures correctly so the school environment can be kept free of the virus. It is, therefore, important for the girls to understand how Covid-19 spreads from person to person, the importance of wearing of masks during the school day and social distancing in class, and that they are taught to wash their own masks at home. Molo Mhlaba School, with the support of the Office for Astronomy Development, supported our learners and their families with food parcels and hygiene packs. The hygiene packs included the following items: body soap, washing powder, 1-litre bottles of hand sanitiser, toilet paper, toothpaste and face masks At the time of print, we have distributed 86 food parcels and hygiene packs to learners and the remaining 27 food parcels will be delivered to the homes of the learners that are continuing with home schooling. We purchased food parcels for R27 500 (partly funded by Rotary Club Am Cape) which included some basic food items and the hygiene products. Spar Hilltop, which is located right next to the school, gave us a really good price on the bundle items and so we were able to support each family at a cost R250.

African Science Stars Covid-19 Edition | www.africanastronomicalsociety.org

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African Science Stars Covid-19 Edition | www.africanastronomicalsociety.org

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SOUTHERN AFRICA SAAO AQUAPONICS FARM

SAAO has a history of cultivating a vegetable garden on site to provide fresh produce to staff. Three SAAO employees - Pieter Swanevelder, Iriwaan Simons, Freya Bovim and Nicolas Erasmus - share a common interest in aquaponics and related subjects. Together, they have obtained permission to start an aquaponics farm in the courtyard of the technical building for the benefit of SAAO staff. The aquaponics facility will also be used to showcase aquaponics to visiting schools. Several donations including large plastic fish tanks, grow-beds, bags of grow-medium and plant seeds/seedlings have already been secured. The project will include: piping; water pumps; deep water culture beds; vertical grow beds; protective netting to protect plants from wind, sun and birds; remote control and monitoring electronics (raspberry piâ€™s, web cams, etc.); auto feeders for the fish; and 3D printing material for printing specialised components. An update on the project by Pieter Swanevelder: By the end of July, we had moved the donated fish tank, grow beds, gravel and bricks, and the building of the system had started. The various tasks were split up by the team members so we could adhere to the Covid-19 social-distancing protocols. The system consists of two eb-and-flow gravel grow beds, a fish tank and sump. Water is pumped with an electrical pump from sump into a fish tank, from where gravity returns the water to the sump via the grow beds. A bell siphon in each grow bed ensure cyclic flushing of grow bed (eb-and-flow). A special jig was developed to assist with washing of gravel to ensure dust and bio-material removed. A 3D-printed bell siphon was optimised to ensure proper cut on/off of water from grow beds. Comet fish were added to start cycling the system for microbe cultivation required by the nitrogen cycle in aquaponics systems. Earthworms were added to assist with breakdown of waste in grow beds and to ensure healthy plant roots. A selection of tomatoes, salads and herbs were planted. A water level sensor, temperature probe and electrical conductivity sensor were integrated to a nodeMCU and tested. We were fortunate to have a few windless, rainless Saturdays to implement and complete the base installation. Future work will include: adding a solids filter between fish tank and grow bed to keep grow beds from silting, adding an remoteoperated fish feeder and camera at the fish tank, implementing a set of nodeMCUs with sensors to monitor and control health of system and display parameters on dashboard. A periscope, as well as display cage, will be fitted to the fish tank.

African Science Stars Covid-19 Edition | www.africanastronomicalsociety.org

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African Science Stars Covid-19 Edition | www.africanastronomicalsociety.org

NEWS

NEWS FROM OUT THERE THERE’S ALWAYS A LOT GOING ON IN THE UNIVERSE. IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A CONVERSATION-STARTER, THESE TOP TALKING POINTS WILL DO THE TRICK… By: Zakiyah Ebrahim

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NEWS

SARAO launches e-learning platform The South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) has launched a new way of teaching and training radio astronomy – an e-learning platform. With the aim of supporting the growing community of astronomy researchers, the platform promotes skill development for university students and the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) partner countries. This launch came at a time when the need for online learning was essential, as the world had to find solutions to the problems caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. This switch to an online resource allows students and researchers to stay up to date with news and have access to self-learning resources, no matter where they are. Topics covered on the platform include radio interferometry and software tools for radio astronomy, and was developed alongside the Rhodes University Centre for Radio Astronomy Techniques and Technologies. Apart from being a knowledge hub, the e-learning platform will also host workshops and hands-on practical sessions. The site will also be used to host a series of public talks on recent developments on radio astronomy, especially in Africa, and there is a dedicated space for the MeerKAT student community. Visit the platform at sarao.ac.za/e-learning-platform.

Massive hunt for alien technology in 10 million star systems comes to an end Astronomers have been scanning the universe for signs of alien technology using the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) radio telescope in outback Western Australia, and the search has finally come to an end. MWA allows for exploration that is way broader than any previous search for extraterrestrial life. The deep search, at low frequencies, had scanned a patch of sky known to include at least 10 million stars and was carried out by CSIRO (Australia’s national science agency), astronomer Dr Chenoa Tremblay and Professor Steven Tingay from the Curtin University node of the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR). The study was published in Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia in September. According to the astronomers' findings, which were based on the observation of the sky around the Vela constellation, other civilisations appear elusive, if they exist. In a news release by Curtin University, Tremblay explained that MWA was searching for powerful radio emissions at frequencies similar to FM radio frequencies, which could indicate the presence of an intelligent source – these possible emissions are known as ‘technosignatures.’ “The MWA is a unique telescope, with an extraordinarily wide field-of-view that allows us to observe millions of stars simultaneously. We observed the sky around the constellation of Vela for 17 hours, looking more than 100 times broader and deeper than ever before. With this dataset, we found no technosignatures – no sign of intelligent life,” said Tremblay. Tingay also commented that although theirs was the broadest search yet, the results were not surprising as “space is big, really big,” adding: “And even though this was a really big study, the amount of space we looked at was the equivalent of trying to find something in the earth’s oceans but only searching a volume of water equivalent to a large backyard swimming pool. Tingay further explained that while there is still a long way to go in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, telescopes such as the MWA will help scientists to “push the limits … We have to keep looking”.

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NEWS

UK scientists discover 50 hidden planets using an AI algorithm Thanks to an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm, we now know of the existence of 50 new, alien planets, University of Warwick’s Department of Physics and Computer Science researchers reported in August. The algorithm analysed data from telescope missions such as Nasa’s Kepler and TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite), which looks for signs of distant planets. More than 4 000 exoplanets exist, but billions more are expected to be in the Milky Way alone, indicates the NASA Exoplanet Archive database. Some of the planets recently discovered are smaller than earth, while others are the size of Neptune. According to a news release by the university, some of the planets spin around their respective stars as quickly as once a day, and others have orbits that last as long as 200 days on Earth. Although there have been previous machine learning tools used in the past to look out for other planets, they were unfortunately unable to determine whether they were exoplanets. The algorithm will also help astronomers to better prioritise which of these planets are worthy of further investigation. “In terms of planet validation, no one has used a machine learning technique before. Machine learning has been used for ranking planetary candidates but never in a probabilistic framework, which is what you need to truly validate a planet”, said Dr David Armstrong, from the University of Warwick. According to Armstrong, the algorithm only mislabelled three out of 8 000 entries, making it highly reliable. “Rather than saying which candidates are more likely to be planets, we can now say what the precise statistical likelihood is. Where there is less than a 1% chance of a candidate being a false positive, it is considered a validated planet,” he added.

Asteroid 2018 VP1 may be heading towards earth, but no need to panic, says NASA An asteroid named 2018 VP1 is projected to cross planet earth’s orbit on 2 November this year. However, according to the Center for Near Earth Objects Studies at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the celestial object is no cause for concern as it will make its way safely past us. Worst case scenario: it will burn up into earth’s atmosphere, creating some harmless fireworks.

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NEWS

"Asteroid 2018VP1 is very small, approximately 6.5 feet (about two metres), and poses no threat to earth. If it were to enter our planet's atmosphere, it would disintegrate due to its extremely small size," NASA said in a statement, further commenting: "NASA has been directed by Congress to discover 90% of the near-earth asteroids larger than 140 meters (459 feet) in size and reports on asteroids of any size." Based on 21 observations spanning 12.968 days, the agency said that the probability of it hitting us is a low 0.41% (or a one in 240 chance). Bill Bottke, director of the department of space studies at the Southwest Research Institute, told ABC News that asteroids of this size hit the earth many times per year. "There is nothing particularly alarming about this one, it just happens to be one we were lucky enough to detect before it makes a close encounter," Bottke said.

Car-sized asteroid makes closest flyby of earth In an incredibly rare find, a car-sized space rock whizzed past earth on 16 August. The giant chunk of rock, named Asteroid 2020 QG, was only spotted hours after its close approach. According to NASA’s database of near-earth objects, the rock flew by at about 4 778 miles (approximately 7 689 km) from the centre of our planet. While it may not have hit us, Forbes reported that it could have been less than 1 000 miles (approximately 1 600 km) above our heads at its closest point, making it lowest in altitude, compared to all artificial satellites in orbit. Asteroid 2020 QL2, up to 120 metres in diameter (bigger than a soccer field), and among the ‘Near Earth Asteroids (NEAs)’ being watched by astronomers, also had a close encounter with earth on 14 September. It was estimated to come within a distance of 4.2 million miles (6.8 million km). Space objects that come within 4.6 million miles of our home planet are labelled “potentially hazardous” in astronomical terms by NASA, which meant that 2020 QL2 fell into this category. However, this close encounter wasn’t nearly as close as 2020 GQ. Despite this, and even if it had slammed into earth’s atmosphere, 2020 QG posed no threat as NASA estimates it to have a diameter of about 10-20 feet (3-6 metres). This means that if it did collide with our planet, chances are that it would burn up due to the resistance provided by earth’s atmosphere.

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SADC

A HUB FOR ASTRONOMY IN THE SADC REGION WE LOOK AT HOW THE DIFFERENT COUNTRIES COME TOGETHER FOR ASTRONOMY. Introduction

Country nodes

History takes us back to December 2013 when the news of

Upon establishing the office in 2014, the immediate task was

the approval to host the Southern African Regional Office

to mobilize countries and recruit Country Coordinators. There

of Astronomy for Development (SAROAD) at the Copperbelt

are currently 13 active Country Coordinators â€“ they are: Bernard

University was communicated to the would-be host country

Mâ€™mame (Malawi), Golden Gadzirai Nyambuya (Zimbabwe),

Zambia. On 14 August 2014, the International Astronomical Union

Michael Backes (Namibia), Claudio Paulo (Mozambique), Nana

(IAU) signed an agreement with the Copperbelt University (CBU)

Ama Klutse (Ghana), Nadeem Oozer (Mauritius), Mika Harisetry

for hosting SAROAD and this Regional Office of Astronomy for

Rafieferantsoa (Madagascar), Sivuyile Manxosa (South Africa),

Development (ROAD) came into being.

Nchimunya Mwinga (Zambia), Tebogo Magaleemang (Botswana), Geoffrey Okengo (Kenya), Guy Leba Kabongo (Democratic

The Copperbelt University is the lead organisation in the Southern African regional implementation of the IAU Strategic

Republic of Congo) and Marco Romero (Angola).

Plan 2020-2030. It will provide the regional coordination needed

Activities

for an integrated strategic approach and in addition will be

Several activities have been lined up and several others already

expected to initiate and develop new programmes consistent

implemented. Major activities for the SAROAD range from

with the goals of the Strategic Plan.

astronomy training, seminars, workshops and projects. In terms

Objectives

of training, the AstroLab project has been a sounding success. The project has been supported by the Office of Astronomy

The SAROAD has many objectives among them being fostering

for Development (OAD) since 2016. University students who

the goals of the IAU Strategic Plan in the Southern African

enroll in this training access telescopes remotely and make

region, regional management, coordination and evaluation of

observations and reduce the data. This has given opportunity

IAU capacity building programmes, providing regional support

to institutions without astronomy infrastructure to do real time

where relevant for IAU-endorsed global activities in development,

observations and some students have used this for their final-

education, and outreach and provision of advice, guidance and

year projects.

information for astronomers in all countries in the Southern African region about IAU programmes. 28

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SADC

We have used the iTelescope.net platform and the Las Cumbres Observatory network of remote telescopes for student observations. We have trained tutors in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, South Africa, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Tanzania and Kenya. The other trending training is the Network for Astronomy School Education (NASE) workshops. The NASE is an endorsed working group of Commission C1 of the IAU. These workshops target secondary school teachers who are trained in basics of astronomy. The course has two components which includes at least four lectures and 10 workshops (similar to practices). Zambia has become the recent beneficiary of the GOGA take-up and scalability plan of the GOGA project in Africa. GOGA is a European Commission funded collaborative initiative under the Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Funding Scheme. The project seeks to introduce online laboratories and inquiry learning for STEM education in Africa. The GOGA project kicked off in 2018 in Nigeria, Kenya and Benin, and in three years, about 380 teachers have been trained on the use of the ecosystem with more than 10 000 students benefiting from the project. As part of scalability, GOGA partners designed a training and mentoring programme for more teachers in Africa to adopt and use the Go-Lab ecosystem. In August 2020, Copperbelt University partnered with CcHub Nigeria, one of the GOGA partners, to train 20 teachers on the Go-Lab ecosystem and creation lessons with the inquiry-based learning method. The training took place virtually coordinated by CcHub trainers together with Jackson Siatuba and Prospery Simpemba from the university. Teachers were trained on inquiry-based learning, use of digital laboratories on go-lab.eu as well as the creation of online and offline lessons using graasp.eu.

Online presence The SAROAD maintains an active online presence with its Facebook page where members of the public can find useful information. There is also a WhatsApp group for

Photo Credit: Prospery Simpemba

SAROAD that makes international communication with the Country Coordinators and volunteers easy and direct. We also have a Twitter handle and a Googlegroup mailing list.

The SAROAD comprises 16 countries namely: Zambia (host), Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana, Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Kingdom of Eswatini, South Africa, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Kenya (SKA partner) and Ghana (SKA partner).

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ECLIPSE

FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE FEW THINGS ARE AS INTRIGUING TO WATCH AS A SOLAR ECLIPSE. HERE, WE BRING YOU THE BEST WAYS OF WATCHING THE ACTION UNFOLD. 30

African Science Stars Covid-19 Edition | www.africanastronomicalsociety.org

ECLIPSE

n 21 July 2020, as the world

publicity around the world. All of our

was dealing with the effects

resources were licensed through a

of Covid-19, the sky put on

Creative Commons license and were

a spectacular show that was visible

made freely available.

across large parts of Africa. The path of this annular solar eclipse cut across

The entire campaign was tied together

central and eastern Africa, and left

through a set of comprehensive

keen viewers questioning how they

webpages on the AfAS website and

would view it while being confined to

regular posts on social media. In

their homes. And those who did have

particular, we collaborated with the IAU

access to eclipse glasses were not

OAO to maintain a detailed list of live

allowed to share them, due to the risk

eclipse webcasts from around the world.

of transmission and breaking social-

In addition, we collaborated with groups

distancing protocol.

from Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania in their live broadcasts during the eclipse,

The Outreach Committee of AfAS

which were seen from around the world.

started by forming a common platform of outreach practitioners in the

Our resource material was on the nature

countries where the eclipse was visible.

of eclipses and their phenomenology,

This platform was effective in uniting

locations and timings, eye safety and

the efforts of individual groups, identify

safe methods of viewing the eclipse,

common needs, and sharing ideas

and online resources, all of which are

and content. The Outreach Committee

the usual topics. However, due to the

took on the role of creating resource

lockdown, we could neither facilitate

material on the eclipse. We brought out

nor rely on public gatherings where

a detailed handbook as well as a set of

people could see the eclipse safely,

seven posters, all beautifully designed

and together. Hence, our emphasis

by Africa Science Stars. We worked

was on describing various simple non-

with the Astronomical Society of India

telescopic methods by which everyone

to adapt their eclipse android app for

could see the eclipse from their homes

Africa. Our collaborators translated

and neighbourhoods, using material that

the entire handbook and the app into

are easily available.

HOW TO VIEW AN ECLIPSE SAFELY When viewing an eclipse there are a few dos and don’ts. Never view an eclipse with a naked eye, or through a camera, telescopes or binoculars. Without proper protection, you risk exposing your eyes to serious and permanent damage such as blindness. Special eclipse glasses are available but they are not always easily accessible. Try the pin-hole projection method – it’s the easiest and safest way to see the eclipsed sun. We challenged the public to come up with patterns of pinholes on innovative material that can be found in the areas surrounding homes. You can see the creative solutions on Facebook under the hashtag #EclipsePinholeChallenge

Amharic and Kiswahili as well. In line with the IAU OAO's campaign of Astronomers Without Borders worked

#AstroAtHome, this eclipse was a call to

with this platform to successfully

re-imagine a science campaign without

send a shipment of eclipse glasses to

public gatherings. Many of the projects

Ethiopia in the middle of the pandemic.

we have initiated since the eclipse are

Many initiatives of local groups, like

also similarly constrained, and therein

the eclipse song from Kenya, achieved

lies our collective challenge!

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EXPLORATIONS

EXPLORING IN THE TIME OF COVID-19 DESPITE RESTRICTIONS BEING THE NORM, 2020 HAS BROUGHT THE WORLD OF ASTRONOMY GREAT EXPLORATIONS. By: Nicole Ludolph

his has been a tough year for most people, with

these facilities had still not opened. NASAâ€™s flying observatory,

the Covid-19 pandemic wreaking havoc on almost

Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), was

all industries. Governments across the globe have

grounded for five months.

been scrambling to contain the virus, enforcing mandatory lockdowns and quarantines. Astronomy and space exploration

The aerospace industry has also suffered. OneWeb, the

have not escaped unscathed.

aerospace company who attempted to build a satellite megaconstellation in order to offer high speed internet, filed for

Astronomical facilities across the world were forced to close,

bankruptcy at the end of May. The company failed to secure

at least temporarily. In Hawaiâ€™i, the Mauna Kea Observatories

the necessary funding to continue its work, largely due to the

were forced to close from March to May 2020, impeding

effects of the pandemic. Similarly, Bigelow Aerospace, a US

research. March 2020 also saw the astronomical facilities

company founded in 1999, shut down its operations in March

in Sutherland and Cape Town in South Africa closing their

2020. The company laid off all 88 of its employees, citing

doors, although the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT)

the emergency closure ordinances implemented by the State

in Sutherland is being operated remotely. At the time of print,

of Nevada.

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EXPLORATIONS

The pandemic pressure did not spare space exploration. On

shape on the surface of the planet that he had not seen before.

12 March, the European Space agency postponed their

At that point, the storm was very new. It was not visible on the

ExoMars mission to 2022, after the pandemic aggravated the

images captured by Australian astronomers just hours before.

already mishap-prone mission.

The storm was dubbed Clyde’s Spot, and was subsequently captured by NASA’s Juno spacecraft, which is currently orbiting

Despite all of these setbacks, the astronomy and space

Jupiter. Storms can rage on the planet’s surface for years.

exploration industries are still making exciting strides. NASA

Clyde’s Spot can be seen raging close to The Great Red Spot, a

launched their rover Perseverance on 30 July. The rover is

giant storm which has been raging for centuries.

currently on its way to Mars, and is expected to land on 18 February 2021. NASA’s previous exploration missions

At the University of Warwick in England, astronomers have

revealed that the red planet may have been able to support

used artificial intelligence (AI) to discover fifty new potential

life billions of years ago, and this mission is to search for

planets. They developed a method of machine learning that

signs of ancient life. The rover will also explore the geology

analyses whether a celestial body is a real planet or just

of the planet. Attached to the rover is the Mars Helicopter,

a “false positive”. The discovery has caused quite a bit of

named Ingenuity, which NASA hopes to be the first piece of

excitement as it is the first time machine learning has been

technology that tests powered flight on another planet.

used to analyse celestial bodies. The process is automated, and takes less time than the previous methods of planetary

Elon Musk’s SpaceX aims to “make life multiplanetary”.

verification. The process also filters out the likelihood of false

The company, together with NASA, launched test flight

positives, or errors that cause non planetary celestial bodies to

Demo-2 on 30 May 2020. The mission was successful, and

the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour spacecraft docked at the International Space Station on 31 May. NASA astronauts

It is undeniable that the Covid-19 pandemic has changed the

Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley conducted over

industries of astronomy and space exploration. Despite the

100 hours of scientific experiments, with Behnken going on

limitations induced by this new normal, the spirit of innovation

four spacewalks. Crew Dragon Endeavour landed back on

and adventure still continues. In the words of Charles Dickens,

earth on 3 August 2020, splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico.

“it was the best of times and it was the worst of times”. Hopefully, the worst is over.

SpaceX aims to offer commercial human spaceflight around te earth, to the moon, to the international space station and eventually to Mars. Flight Demo-2 was the company’s final test flight and will provide key information in their bid for certification from NASA. The company is now one step closer to meeting its multiplanetary mission. Comets visible to the naked eye are rare. On 27 March, NASA’s Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE) mission discovered Comet NEOWISE. The comet became visible to the naked eye from around mid-July, although it required an unobstructed view of the sky that was free of light pollution. While the comet was not considered a “great comet”, it still provided skywatchers with some enjoyment. The view was once-in-a-lifetime, because the next time this comet will show itself will be in 6 800 years. Closer to home, amateur astronomer Clyde Foster discovered a new storm on the surface of the planet Jupiter. When Foster, who hails from Centurion in South Africa’s Gauteng province, looked through his telescope on 31 May, he spotted an oval African Science Stars Covid-19 Edition | www.africanastronomicalsociety.org

TRAVEL

THE RISE OF ASTRO TOURISM IN AFRICA HOW FAR WILL YOU GO TO SEE THE STARS? WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE TOP STARGAZING SPOTS ON THE CONTINENT. 34

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TRAVEL

he Northern Lights is a phenomenon that’s made its mark on bucket lists all over the world. There’s just something about a dark canvas, glittered with sparkling

green light that begs to be seen and experienced. But the costs of traveling half-way across the world is often the dream killer. Luckily, you needn’t travel to the Nordic region to experience the glory of the night sky. While nothing compares to the African sunset, as seen in tropical places such as Cape Town and Zanzibar, the starry night sky sure does come close. In recent years, astro tourism has become a hit, and Africa has its fair share of skygazing opportunities. What is astro tourism? In a nut shell, it’s skipping the overpopulated tourist hotspots and heading for open landscapes where nature reigns supreme. The aim of astro tourism is to occupy spaces that are free from pollution – light, air and noise – in order to have a clear view of the stars at night. Visiting observatories and organisations focuses on astronomy are on the itinerary and your only mission is to see what’s up (there). But astro tourism doesn’t need to mean sleeping in a tent in the middle of nowhere while a campfire keeps you warm and fed, there have been creative ways of taking tourists closer to the stars, including cruises into the middle of the ocean, glamping (permanent tent-like structures with amenities), isolated treehouses and glass igloos. And with the rise of consciousness brought about by Covid-19, this may be the way to go for the next couple of months. Here, we take a look at some of the coninent’s best spots for celestial pleasure.

Botswana The Okavango Delta is a nature lover’s dream. With its snaking river and lush riverside dining options for wildlife, it’s a mustsee. But if that isn’t enough motivation, Botswana’s location will have you viewing the Milky Way and possibly sighting a glimpse of Mars, Saturn and Jupiter. Best time to visit: The winter months, from June to August, will bring the best stargazing opportunities. Botswana experiences summer rainfall so the dry season is your best bet. While the temperature on winter days generally ranges from 24-27°C, the night-time brings an icy cold with it so remember to pack warm clothes for when you head out. African Science Stars Covid-19 Edition | www.africanastronomicalsociety.org

TRAVEL

Namibia Famous for the vast, dry landscapes, Namibia is synonymous with open space – both on the ground and in the sky. Thanks

Either way, stargazing in the quiet town is always a good experience.

to the long distance between the country’s cities, stargazing

Madagascar

spots are aplenty. One such spot is the NamibRand Reserve,

While our minds may take us to the animated characters

an area far from the city that’s protected to conserve the

and the songs they so happily sing, thinking of the island

ecosystem, which was announced as an International Dark

should, instead, show us images of the many stars that

Sky Reserve (the first in Africa!) for reasons you’ll have to

dot its clear skies. The irindy Mitea National Park is a

experience for yourself.

perfect example of how exceptional stargazing on the island is. It’s not just a great spot for astro tourism, but

Best time to visit: If you want to see the constellations and

astro photographers seems to go here to shine, thanks

shooting stars in their full glory, visit the area from May to

to the low levels of light pollution.

November when rainfall is low and the weather is pleasant. Be warned that the busy tourist season, from June to October, Best time to visit: Plan your trip for between March and will require advance bookings for accommodation.

November, when the island has its dry season. Travelling around the island is also generally better then, as the

South Africa South Africa is not only the base of the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) and South African Large Telescope (SALT), it’s home to many amazing stargazing destinations – from Sutherland to the Tankwa Karoo National Park and Cedarberg. Because these locations are all situated away from the busy city centres, they provide the

more difficult to navigate. Of course, as nature would have it (and as many failed Northern Lights viewing attempts have shown us), nothing is ever guaranteed. And while we don’t know how tourism will change after Covid-19 (will

perfect backdrop for stargazing.

social distancing be the norm, and how far will we be

Best time to visit: If you’re heading to Sutherland to view

something everyone can enjoy. It’s always best to do

SALT during winter, it’s very important to pack enough warm clothes and boots as temperatures drop and the town often experiences snow. In summer, you’ll feel the desert heat.

rainy season leads to dense foliage and roads that are

willing to travel?), we do know that astro tourism is proper research on the specific area you’d like to visit beforehand so you can have a clear idea of when to go, what to take along and what to expect.

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CAREERS

REACHING FOR THE STARS SO YOU WANT TO PURSUE A CAREER IN ASTRONOMY? HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW. By: Zakiyah Ebrahim

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CAREERS

f the experience of discovery excites you, and you find yourself

feeling intrigued by space, galaxies, stars, planets, and everything in between, it can lead you to a career into the world of astronomy.

What is astronomy? According to the University of Kansas’s department of physics and astronomy: “Astronomy is applied Physics, applied using the tools of advanced mathematics, the technology of modern telescopes, and state-of-the-art computer software.” With it comes another aspect: astrophysics, which deals with the physics of the universe. There are countless forces in our universe, and the study thereof is absolutely riveting, complex and deeply rewarding. A fascinating field of space sciences, it deals with the study of movement, nature, and the constitution of celestial bodies of the universe. Celestial bodies, also known as astronomical objects, are naturally occurring physical entities or structures that exist in the universe. They essentially fill the empty space of the universe and include the stars, star clusters, planets, moons, asteroids, comets, nebulae, galaxies, dark matter and black holes.

Careers in astronomy Astronomy is a multidisciplinary science and a career in astronomy goes way beyond telescopes and stars. In fact, there are various specialisations offered in the fields of astronomy and astrophysics, including: •

Astrochemistry – astrochemists are part astronomers and

part chemists, and study chemical compositions and

processes for stars, planets, comets and interstellar media.

•

Astrogeology – deals with the geology of the solid bodies in

the solar system, including the asteroids, the planets and

their moons.

•

Astrobiology – a multidisciplinary field, astrobiologists deal

with nature, existence and also search for extraterrestrial

life (life beyond earth).

•

Astrometry – studies the positions, dimensions and the

shapes of the celestial bodies.

More than this, you can specialise in celestial mechanics (a branch of astronomy that examines the motions of objects in outer space), cosmology (studying the origin and evolution of the universe), optical astronomy (using light-controlling components for imaging celestial objects) and radio astronomy (a subfield of astronomy that uses radio African Science Stars Covid-19 Edition | www.africanastronomicalsociety.org

CAREERS

telescopes to observe the naturally occurring radiowaves that come from celestial objects). All of the branches require in-depth studies of physics and mathematics at university level, while the specialisations are all

Heading to university? The following African institutions offer Bachelor of Science

acquired at Master’s level, followed by a PhD.

(B.Sc.) degrees in astronomy and/or physics at tertiary level:

Some of the skills you’ll need

South Africa

You'll need to be detail-oriented, have an inquisitive mind with analytical thinking skills, patience, a lifelong learning mentality, willingness to work long hours and often to work in a remote observatory.

So how do you go about it? A career in astronomy or astrophysics may open up many doors to some out-of-this-world discoveries. If you are a high school student pondering a career in these fields, no particular previous knowledge or experience of astronomy will be expected, but you will need a strong grounding in pure mathematics (a lot of astronomy is focused around mathematical calculations) as well as physical science. Additional subjects that will count in your favour are computer

University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg What they offer: Astronomy and Astrophysics University of Cape Town What they offer: Astronomy and Physics University of KwaZulu-Natal What they offer: Astronomy University of South Africa What they offer: Astronomy University of Johannesburg What they offer: Physics

science and Advanced Programme (AP) classes in math or physics.

Nigeria

What are the career options?

What they offer: Astronomy and Astrophysics

Jobs range from working for government agencies and space research organisations to observatories and educational institutions. Bear in mind that all jobs in this field involve a great deal of research. According to the Astronomical Society of Southern Africa (ASSA), graduates in astronomy would normally find employment at astronomical research facilities. In South Africa, for instance, this could include Hartebeesthoek RAO (HartRAO), The South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO), South African Radio Astronomy

University of Nigeria

Ebonyi State University What they offer: Industrial physics University of Lagos What they offer: Physics

Ghana University of Ghana What they offer: Physics (includes courses in cosmology and

Observatory (SA SKA) and MeerKAT, or at universities.

astrophysics, among others)

Apart from opting directly for a degree in astronomy, scientists

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

in the field stress that the most common way to venture into these fields is to become a good physicist. This means that you’ll have to go through a very strong undergraduate programme – which typically last three or four years at undergraduate level – followed by an Honours programme and a Master’s (with a PhD at a great advantage), and then move on to become a researcher in astronomy or astrophysics.

What they offer: Physics University of Education, Winneba What they offer: Physics University of Cape Coast What they offer: Physics (Graduates can opt for an advanced study in physics or related fields such as astronomy)

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CAREERS

Kenya University of Nairobi What they offer: Astronomy and Astrophysics Moi University What they offer: Physics Kenyatta University What they offer: Physics

Tanzania University of Dar es Salaam What they offer: Physics University of Dodoma What they offer: Physics The Open University of Tanzania What they offer: Physics (covers astronomy, chemistry, and earth sciences, among others)

Uganda Aga Khan University What they offer: Physics Bishop Stuart University What they offer: Physics and Astronomy Kampala International University What they offer: Physics

Need some help? Here are a few bursary/scholarship opportunities: •

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA)

scholarship, initiated by The South African Radio

Astronomy Observatory (SARAO).

•

WAAW Foundation Scholarships – for female

African students looking to pursue a STEM-focused

undergraduate programme at a recognised African

university. •

SARAO Doctoral and Masters scholarships: open

to South Africans citizens, and citizens of Ghana and

Kenya, among others.

African Science Stars Covid-19 Edition | www.africanastronomicalsociety.org

TOP 5

FIVE FAVOURITES

MEET AFRICAN ASTRONOMERS WHO HAVE TURNED STARGAZING INTO A SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING. By: Chireez Fredericks WILLIAM STEPHEN FINSEN Born in 1905, South African astronomer Finsen developed the Finsen eyepiece interferometer. This particular device could be attached to a telescope to help measure very close double stars. Before he died in 1979 at the age of 73, Finsen took over 54 000 photographs of Mars. These images were the best results available before the first space probe flew past Mars in 1965.

ERNEST LEONARD JOHNSON Johnson was born in 1891 and is best known for the discovery of 18 asteroids as well as several comets. Before his death in 1977, Johnson received the Donohoe Comet Medal for discovering Comet 48P/Johnson, a periodic comet. The comet has been seen at every return since its discovery and it usually experiences a slow brightening and then fading as it approaches perihelion. The next expected perihelion for Comet 48P/Johnson on the 2 March 2025.

THEBE RODNEY MEDUPE Astrophysicist Medupe was born in a small village near Mafikeng, South Africa, in 1973. He is best known for his work on the Cosmic African project, which explores the deep cultural roots of ancient astronomy in African traditions. In the Cosmic African project, Medupe explores how mythic figures in African astrology influence religious beliefs, practices, agriculture, artistic efforts, folklore, and social hierarchies. He hopes to use his research to create a database that links some of the astrological perceptions in African traditions to the current scientific knowledge.

ALAN WILLIAM JAMES COUSINS Before his death in 2001, Cousins spent his 70-year career focusing on the measurement of variable stars, which included the measurement of the two sinusoidal periods of Gamma Doradus. Born in 1903, Cousins first became interested in Astronomy when he witnessed the 1910 Halley’s Comet. In 1943, he published a list of over 100 bright stars in the southern hemisphere which he observed at the Durban observatory in South Africa.

SIMON RATCLIFFE Ratcliffe, nicknamed the "barefoot astronomer", is best known for his promotion of the Square Kilometre Array project (SKA). The SKA project is an international effort to build the world’s largest radio telescope, with a square kilometre of collecting area. The SKA project will be so sensitive that it will be able to detect an airport radar on a planet ten light years away. In a 2011 article Ratcliffe said: “There is still so much more to learn and discover than what we already know, so young people should consider careers in this fascinating field,” as the SKA project will leave a legacy of excellence in physics and engineering. 42

African Science Stars Covid-19 Edition | www.africanastronomicalsociety.org