Telescope Project
Through our telescope distribution Project, we collaborate with international donors to equip our teams across Africa with telescopes, empowering them to bring astronomy education and outreach to their communities. These telescopes allow participating groups to conduct public stargazing events, educational workshops, and training programs, enhancing local engagement in astronomy and space science.
Steps into Space Association, an astronomy organization in Morocco, has received the Bresser 70/700 telescope from PACS e-Lab, donated in collaboration with Jean Pierre Grootaerd. The telescope will support astronomy outreach efforts across Morocco and help inspire the next generation of young Moroccans in STEM. Many thanks to Jean Pierre Grootaerd and his team for their generosity.
The PACS e-Lab management, in collaboration with the Jean Pierre Grootaerd SSVI program, donated a 70/700 Bresser refractor telescope to Prof. Hans Essone Obame, IAU Office of Astronomy for Education Chair for Gabon. The telescope supports teacher training and astronomy outreach in Gabonese schools. The outreach initiative was featured on national news: https://youtu.be/1yk6V3GWZmw?si=X7bUTc_1SfOWbGXs
PACS e-Lab formally recognizes Ms. Molly N. Kgobathe, IAU-OAOor Botswana, for outstanding contributions to astronomy education and outreach. Through sustained collaboration since 2021, she has engaged University of Botswana students and founded the University of Botswana Astronomy Club. With support from AfAS, a Celestron NexStar 60 GT telescope was donated to support ongoing outreach efforts in Botswana.
PACS e-Lab extends heartfelt appreciation to Ms. Thobekile Ngwane, co-founder of the Zimbabwe Astronomical Society (ZAS), for her outstanding contributions to astronomy outreach. Since 2022, she has actively engaged students in citizen science projects. With support from AfAS, a Celestron NexStar 60 GT telescope was donated to ZAS to strengthen astronomy education and outreach across Zimbabwe.
Meet Keketso Qhomane from the Kingdom of Lesotho, an outstanding citizen astronomer and undergraduate Geoinformatics student at the University of Pretoria. Leading the BlueCraneSpace Astronomy and Astrophysics student team, he has collaborated with PACS e-Lab on citizen science projects since 2023. With support from AfAS and IAU-GA 2024, a telescope was donated to him to enhance astronomy education and outreach in Lesotho
PACS e-Lab is pleased to share the unveiling of a telescope by our longstanding Ugandan partner, the National Curriculum Development Center (NCDC). Donated in collaboration with the Jean Pierre Grootaerd SSVI program, the telescope will support Uganda’s teacher training program in astronomy, enhancing education in schools through citizen science projects. The donation was endorsed by the five ESA career astronauts (class of 2022) and CERN reserve astronaut Slawosz Uznanski. The event was featured on NCDC’s website: https://ncdc.go.ug/2024/06/07/ncdc-unveils-teaching-telescope/
PACS e-Lab, through the Jean Pierre Grootaerd SSVI program, has donated a telescope to the Malawian astronomy partner group, the Celestial Exploders, led by Bauleni Bvumbwe Maseko. The leadership board includes experts in GIS, remote sensing, Earth observation, and drone piloting. The telescope will support astronomy education and outreach, enhancing awareness in Malawian schools through citizen science projects. The donation was endorsed by the five ESA career astronauts (class of 2022) and CERN reserve astronaut Slawosz Uznanski.