Last event of GAM in Ranya district, Iraq

AGAIN…WE DON'T SAY GOOD BYE

It is passed away so fast, as IYA2009, but definitely it left behind wonderful memories to talk and tell about for a long time. GAM was the mini (International year of Astronomy 2010 or IYA2010).

AAAK make two teams to make the last event of GAM. 3 weeks ago we got an invitation from Ranya district Directorate of Education to visiting them and made activity in there. We was very pleased and we set the plan to be on Global Star Party on April, 24.2010. Second team prepared to a big star party inside (Sami Central Park), the largest park in Erbil city, for this event, but unfortunately again, a front of thunder storm with heavy showers keep continuing till late evening and it was colder than usual for this time of the year. That’s mean we lost the star party.

But there is a shiny side of the event after we reached Ranya district (130 km east of Erbil city) and we made a biggest astronomical event there with a big presentation about AAAK, IYA2009, GAM and An Introduction to Universe and Solar System for nearby 2 hours after we found our self sinking under plenty of questions from more than 140 teachers and students of (Kodo High School).

Peoples there asked us to arrange more events specially for next summer and they showed that they are ready to join more than this day in any activity, specially if there was a sidewalk or star party using telescopes to watching the night sky objects for the first time in their life, as one of the participants told me "We are really waiting for a day to looking through the universe deeper than our naked eye" and sure we promised them with a big star party next June.