SAROAD
SAROAD
Discover the hub for processing celestial images, discovering asteroids, and conducting hands-on astronomical research in Southern Africa.
WHAT IS ASTRO-LAB? AstroLab is a specialized training workshop and research opportunity designed to build practical skills in astronomy and space science within the region. These workshops typically involve hands-on learning experiences, such as using celestial navigation software (Stellarium and Celestia), telescope assembly, and night-sky observations. SAROAD’s involvement includes: • Implementation: SAROAD is directly responsible for conducting AstroLab workshops as part of its key performance indicators, with a session scheduled for August 2025 in South Africa. • Funding: The office actively budgets and secures financial resources for these workshops to cover travel, equipment, and logistical costs. • Strategic Capacity Building: SAROAD promotes AstroLab as a key initiative to develop human capital, ensuring Southern Africa has the skilled personnel required to lead world-class research projects like the Square Kilometre Array (SKA).
Students use software like Stellarium and Celestia to learn real-time celestial navigation and identify planets, constellations, and deep-sky objects.
Participants assemble Galileoscopes, which helps them understand optics and the mechanics of observational astronomy.
This includes night-sky stargazing to identify nebulae and stars through telescopes, as well as solar viewing using eclipse shades to observe the Sun’s photosphere.
Sessions cover diverse topics such as planetary exploration, stellar life cycles, cosmology, and potential careers in space science.