Project title: Limpopo Astronomy Public Outreach, South Africa
Project leader: Mr. Kosma Coronaios
Limpopo Astronomy Public Outreach will visit 13 venues in various towns in the Limpopo Province of South Africa over the course of a 5 month period. An astronomy display, set up during the course of the day and part of the evening, will consist of the following:
1. “Fossils, Light & Time”, a visual display of cosmic and fossil history going back 2.1 billion years with a South African theme. It will show 26 laminated A4 pages portraying the impact of the Vredefort meteorite and ending at the present day with fossil history from the floods in Laingsburg.
2. A selection of posters donated by the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) and the South African Agency for Science & Technology Advancement (SAASTA) depicting the following: our solar system, the electromagnetic spectrum and our place in the universe. These will be on display and also handed out. Various other astronomy related posters and material will also be on display.
3. Practical: Viewing the Sun and observing sunspots with a telescope and sun-filter, which will include handout material with facts and figures on the Sun on one side of A4 page. The reverse side will have information on the Moon.
4. Solar system, facts and figures will include handout material as well as practical display of the size and distance to the planets. Information on viewable planets at the time will be included on the reverse side of the page.
5. Stargazing evenings will include South African star-lore and the identification of some of the constellations that are visible as well as views through the telescope of some of the planets, stars and deep sky objects. Explanations of how stars and planets “move”, the difference between them etc., will be discussed.
Calendar of events & links:
29 March – Polokwane (Mall of the North)
06 April – Bela Bela (Warmbaths, Forever Resorts)
18 May – Modimolle (Nylstroom)
25 May – Forever Resorts Tshipise
15 & 16 June – Thoyandou and Giyani
5 & 6 July – Lephalale (Ellisras) Bushveld Festival
20 July – Mussina (Checkers Center)
30 July – Elim Mall (Elim) – Note that this is a SAASTA/DST sponsored event
02 August – Makhado annual show
08 & 09 August – Tzaneen (Letaba, Expo)
31 August – Elim, Elim Mall
21 September – Bela Bela, Warmbaths Forever Resorts
Follow the project at: http://www.psychohistorian.org/ and http://www.planetarium.co.za/