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Aug 04
2019
The Telescope is Collimated!
by 
Kai Staats
Kai StaatsAWB Update - July 30, 2019 at 1:11 PM The telescope is collimated! This was no easy endeavor, but finally, the mirrors are aligned. Photos and a deeper explanation to come. Also, today saw the second face-to-face meeting of the local Astronomy Ambassadors for the Mt. Meru Astronomical Observatory. View Kai's Facebook page here . Read More...
Jul 31
2019
Work on the Telescope's Pedestal and Mirrors Begins
by Kai Staats
Kai StaatsAWB Update - July 27 Today saw an incredible effort by instructors and students alike as we sanded and painted the pedestal, and then moved to install the primary and secondary mirrors. This is no small undertaking but was completed by a tenacious, dedicated group. Between major tasks we took time for exploration of various types of telescopes, discussion of nuclear fusion and the life of stars, and how various life forms both receive and generate light in the electromagnetic spectrum. View Kai's Facebook page here . Read More...
Jul 30
2019
The Work Begins to Set-Up the Telescope
by Kai Staats
Kai StaatsAWB Update - July 26 The past three days have seen a great deal of running to town to get parts and tools. Today we took the telescope's original, 250lbs steel base to the Arusha Technical University in order to remove 30cm from the bottom, providing the necessary clearance for the telescope to clear the roll-off roof. Read More...
Jul 30
2019
The Telescope is Moved to Mt. Meru Observatory
by Kai Staats
Kai StaatsAWB Update - July 23 I arrived yesterday to Tanzania and the Mt. Meru Astronomical Observatory, operated by the Organization for Science Education and Observatory. I am immediately reminded of the beauty of this place, with roosters and song birds bringing the morning, elephants calling at the close of the day, and a body of dedicated teachers and eager students wanting to learn about the dark, East African night skies. Today we moved the four crates that contain the telescope shipped in January to the observatory itself, opened and unpacked, and prepared a simple workflow for the days ahead. While... Read More...
Jul 30
2019
Telescopes to Tanzania Project Update
by Kai Staats
Kai StaatsKai Staats has returned to Tanzania to work with Telescopes to Tanzania Astronomy Ambassadors for the installation of the upgraded, 1969 12.5" Cave-Cassegrain at the Mt. Meru Astronomical Observatory. This AWB project was initiated by Pastors Chuck & Sue Ruehle, Mponda Malozo, and the Board of Directors of the Organization for Science Education & Observatory. With the passing of Chuck in 2016, Kai Staats assumed leadership and has since guided the construction of the observatory and hands-on refurbishing of the telescope. The recent two years are captured in four photos essays at the AWB website: https://astronomerswithoutborders.org/awb-programs/resource-sharing-programs/telescopes-to-tanzania.html Stay tuned as the... Read More...
Jul 30
2019
Tanzania Touchdown
by Kai Staats
Kai StaatsAWB Update - July 22, 2019 I am safely arrived to Meru, Tanzania. Tomorrow I meet with the board of directors for the science center and observatory, then work with two of the ambassadors to move the three crates to the observatory and start to unpack. Excited! Read More...
Jul 30
2019
Kai Prepares to Return to Tanzania
by Kai Staats
Kai StaatsAWB Update - July 18 In just 48 hours I will board a flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. There, we will unpack and reassemble the historic Cave-Cassegrain telescope initially refurbished by the Racine Astronomical Society and then completed by me and Dan Heim, here in Arizona, last fall. This will bring to fruition a journey started nearly a decade ago by Chuck and Sue, Mponda Sibuor , the Board of Directors in Meru, and all who have worked to bring astronomy to rural Tanzania. Stay tuned to the Astronomers Without Borders website and Telescopes to Tanzania FB pages as we work... Read More...
Jun 27
2019
PRESS RELEASE ASTRONOMERS WITHOUT BORDERS DISTRIBUTING RECYCLED ECLIPSE VIEWING GLASSES IN SOUTH AMERICA FOR JULY 2 SOLAR ECLIPSE
by 
Zoe Chee
Zoe CheePRESS RELEASE ASTRONOMERS WITHOUT BORDERS DISTRIBUTING RECYCLED ECLIPSE VIEWING GLASSES IN SOUTH AMERICA FOR JULY 2 SOLAR ECLIPSE Calabasas, CA, June 27, 2019: Astronomers Without Borders (AWB) is sending recycled eclipse-viewing glasses collected from across the U.S.A., to schools, astronomy clubs and other organizations in South America for use during the solar eclipse that crosses the continent July 2, 2019. As a total eclipse of the Sun swept across the continental U.S.A. from coast to coast on August 21, 2017, millions of eclipse glasses were used to safely witness this dramatic celestial event. AWB, with support from its long time... Read More...
Mar 26
2019
The Telescope Has Arrived!
by Kai Staats
Kai StaatsAWB Update - January 21, 2019 The most scary, perhaps the most challenging part of this entire project is completed with success! The telescope has safely arrived to the Alianga Secondary School. Many thanks to Dennis Davies of Craters & Freighters ( www.CratersAndFreighters.com ), Darren Kayser of InXpress ( www.inxpress.com ), and Rahab Tigwella of TAHA Fresh Handling Ltd. for an expert job in receiving our valuable packages. We anticipate installation in June of this year. Stay tuned—the best part is yet to come! Cheers, Kai Staats, MSc Read More...
Jan 27
2019
Watch the Moon Turn Red: Lunar Eclipse Worldwide Webcast
Calabasas, CA, January 18, 2019: Astronomers Without Borders will host a live broadcast celebrating the total lunar eclipse on Sunday, January 20 beginning at 10:30 pm EST (7:30 pm PST | 03:30 UT Jan.21), a few minutes before the start of the partial phase of the eclipse. The live webcast will run for a full 2 hours, covering the most exciting parts of the sky event, including entire first half of the eclipse, well past the point of maximum eclipse when the moon enters Earth's deepest shadow and blushes red. The show, co-hosted by National Geographic columnist Andrew Fazekas and... Read More...
Dec 25
2018
Update: The Telescope is Done!
by Kai Staats
Kai StaatsSince our September update, we have seen the completion of the refurbishing of the telescope, packaging, crating, and shipment to Tanzania. While the photos alone tell the story, I offer a brief synopsis of our shared efforts … Many thanks to Dan Heim for his steadfast attention to detail, application of every-day physics, and expert hand in modifying and fabricating new parts. It was for me a very special time to work side-by-side with the most influential teacher in my life. Together, we tackled a number of challenges, working to make something old as good as new. Alan Buckman of... Read More...
Nov 05
2018
Puerto Rico Education Boost Update
We just received word from the Instituto Nueva Escuela (INE) in Puerto Rico that helps the schools. We sent 20 OneSky telescopes, David Chandler Company, Inc . planispheres, and other Spanish-language STEM educational materials to, that are rebuilding after the devastating hurricanes in 2017. Ciencia Puerto Rico and Sociedad de Astronomía de Puerto Rico Inc . conducted an amazing training workshop for 24 teachers on September 21. (photos below). Teachers are encouraged to incorporate project-based learning (PBL) into their educational programs and to make science relevant to students' lives by incorporating challenges and examples observed in their communities and surroundings.... Read More...
Oct 12
2018
Telescopes to Tanzania Update: The MMAO Observatory
by Zoe Chee
Zoe CheeSince the last update on December 15, 2017, there is much to tell about the Mt. Meru Astronomical Observatory. Thank you for your patience and steadfast interest in this important project. The observatory itself is nearly complete. The telescope pier was set with rebar and concrete nearly two meters deep, isolated from the observatory floor, then finished with four threaded rods ready to receive the 120 kg steel pedestal and telescope. Cages are mounted at knee-height along the interior walls, protecting low-wattage red lights. Electrical sockets are evenly spaced, to provide power to computers and additional telescopes. The floor offers... Read More...
May 14
2018
Astronomers Without Borders and Ciencia Puerto Rico Boost STEM Education in Puerto Rico
by Zoe Chee
Zoe CheeSAN JUAN, PR – Starting this summer, children from all over Puerto Rico will be able to explore space from their own schools' backyards. The non-profit organization Astronomers Without Borders and Ciencia Puerto Rico (CienciaPR) will distribute donated telescopes to 20 underserved schools in Puerto Rico. In addition to the telescopes, the schools will receive science education resources that include "The Universe at Your Feet", a collection of astronomy activities in Spanish for children and classrooms, and celestial planispheres or maps to help identify visible stars and constellations. This is all part of a new collaborative initiative called "Astronomía al... Read More...
Apr 12
2018
Space Station Cosmonauts Share the Sky with US Classrooms
by Zoe Chee
Zoe CheeStudents from Bozeman High School in Bozeman, Montana got a chance to make a real cosmic call and speak with Russian cosmonauts living, working and doing research aboard the International Space Station (ISS) on April 10, 2018. This special live and interactive question-and-answer connection with the ISS was made possible thanks to Astronomers Without Border's (AWB) invitation to participate in a collaborative effort by Russia Today, Roscosmos State Corporation, and Energia Rocket and Space Corporation. During the 20 minute Earth-to-space in-flight education downlink students from schools located in both USA and Russia asked questions about life aboard the space station... Read More...
Dec 15
2017
Telescopes to Tanzania Update: Construction Continues
by Zoe Chee
Zoe CheeThe Telescopes to Tanzania observatory project at Mt. Meru, Tanzania is enjoying accelerated progress. Construction is coming right along with the foundation, walls, and roll-off-roof piers in place. The roll-off roof is now fully functional. Electrical wiring for sockets and lights are in place. Only the setting of the isolated, concrete pier remains. This is the most important aspect of the project, for it provides the professional grade, fully refurbished Cave-Cassegrain telescope a vibration-free mount for high quality photography. We appreciate the steadfast enthusiasm and support for this crowd-source funded project. In loving memory of Chuck Ruehle, we charge ahead,... Read More...
Dec 01
2017
Super Moon Sighting Activity
by Zoe Chee
Zoe CheeSideways Moon / Sideways Earth See how the moon seems to turn its face the sky during the night. Thanks to our friends at the Astronomical League and John Goss, we can bring this experiment to you. How to: Observe the moon shortly after it rises. Draw its light and dark regions. If you have keen eyesight, you can do this without optical aid, otherwise use a pair of binoculars. In either case, if the moon's light is too bright for comfortable viewing, wear a pair of sunglasses. Be sure to indicate the horizon and the direction of either north... Read More...
Nov 10
2017
Global Astronomy Month 2018 : Fly Me To the Moon
by Zoe Chee
Zoe CheeWe at AWB are pleased to announce that preparations have begun for Global Astronomy Month celebrations in April 2018. Our main theme this year will center on Earth's lone natural companion that has fascinated cultures around the world – the Moon. That hauntingly beautiful silvery orb hanging in our skies is an integral part of life on Earth. Yet few people notice it or recognize its importance to us. Throughout Global Astronomy Month this year, the Moon will be celebrated with special series of programming that will be dedicated to helping people rediscover our closest companion in space. The world's... Read More...
Oct 20
2017
Alouette
by David Levy
David LevyOne of the Alouettes as it appears after it was painted green in 2016. It provides beautiful, wide-field views of the Milky Way. Photograph by David Levy. As a youngster growing up in Montréal, Canada, I always enjoyed the children's song Alouette. It was a little ditty about a small lark whose loud chirp woke little children early every morning, and each stanza referred to a different part of the bird. As I grew up, I prepared for the graduation of Westmount High School in 1966. By this time I was passionate about astronomy and I was active in almost... Read More...
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