Astronomy outreach in Namibia: H.E.S.S. and beyond

H.E.S.S. Collaboration

Astronomy outreach in Namibia: H.E.S.S. and beyond

H.E.S.S. Collaboration

University of Oxford
University of Namibia
c/o DESY
North-West University
Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen
University of Heidelberg
Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies
Russian-Armenian University
Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik
Aix-Marseille Université
LTHE (UMR 5564 CNRS/IRD/Université de Grenoble)
Université Paris-Saclay
Institute for Nuclear Physics
Jagiellonian University
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Linnaeus University, Växjö
University of Tübingen
LUTH - Laboratoire de l'Univers et de ses Theories
Sorbonne Université
University of Warsaw
UMR 5797
Astroparticule and Cosmol APC
University of Leicester
University of Potsdam
University of Adelaide
Ip Paris
Laboratoire Univers et Particules de Montpellier
University of Innsbruck
Universität Hamburg
Landessternwarte Heidelberg
Nicolaus Copernicus University
Rikkyo University
Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center of the Polish Academy of Sciences
University of the Free State
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
University of Amsterdam
Yerevan Physics Institute
University of Tokyo
Konan University
Riken

Research output: Contribution to journal › Conference article › peer-review

Abstract

Astronomy plays a major role in the scientific landscape of Namibia. Because of its excellent sky conditions, Namibia is home to ground-based observatories like the High Energy Spectroscopic System (H.E.S.S.), in operation since 2002. Located near the Gamsberg mountain, H.E.S.S. performs groundbreaking science by detecting very-high-energy gamma rays from astronomical objects. The fascinating stories behind many of them are featured regularly in the “Source of the Month”, a blog-like format intended for the general public with more than 170 features to date. In addition to other online communication via social media, H.E.S.S. outreach activities have been covered locally, e.g. through ‘open days’ and guided tours on the H.E.S.S. site itself. An overview of the H.E.S.S. outreach activities are presented in this contribution, along with discussions relating to the current landscape of astronomy outreach and education in Namibia. There has also been significant activity in the country in recent months, whereby astronomy is being used to further sustainable development via human capacity-building. Finally, as we take into account the future prospects of radio astronomy in the country, momentum for a wider range of astrophysics research is clearly building — this presents a great opportunity for the astronomy community to come together to capitalise on this movement and support astronomy outreach, with the overarching aim to advance sustainable development in Namibia.

Original language	English
Article number	1397
Journal	Proceedings of Science
Volume	395
Publication status	Published - 18 Mar 2022
Event	37th International Cosmic Ray Conference, ICRC 2021 - Virtual, Berlin, Germany Duration: 12 Jul 2021 → 23 Jul 2021

Cite this

@article{4c77383690294c3780d1b0e9064679af,

title = "Astronomy outreach in Namibia: H.E.S.S. and beyond",

abstract = "Astronomy plays a major role in the scientific landscape of Namibia. Because of its excellent sky conditions, Namibia is home to ground-based observatories like the High Energy Spectroscopic System (H.E.S.S.), in operation since 2002. Located near the Gamsberg mountain, H.E.S.S. performs groundbreaking science by detecting very-high-energy gamma rays from astronomical objects. The fascinating stories behind many of them are featured regularly in the “Source of the Month”, a blog-like format intended for the general public with more than 170 features to date. In addition to other online communication via social media, H.E.S.S. outreach activities have been covered locally, e.g. through {\textquoteleft}open days{\textquoteright} and guided tours on the H.E.S.S. site itself. An overview of the H.E.S.S. outreach activities are presented in this contribution, along with discussions relating to the current landscape of astronomy outreach and education in Namibia. There has also been significant activity in the country in recent months, whereby astronomy is being used to further sustainable development via human capacity-building. Finally, as we take into account the future prospects of radio astronomy in the country, momentum for a wider range of astrophysics research is clearly building — this presents a great opportunity for the astronomy community to come together to capitalise on this movement and support astronomy outreach, with the overarching aim to advance sustainable development in Namibia.",

author = "\{H.E.S.S. Collaboration\} and Hannah Dalgleish and Heike Prokoph and Sylvia Zhu and Michael Backes and Garret Cotter and Jacqueline Catalano and Edna Ruiz-Velasco and Eli Kasai and H. Abdalla and F. Aharonian and Benkhali, \{F. Ait\} and Ang{\"u}ner, \{E. O.\} and C. Arcaro and C. Armand and T. Armstrong and H. Ashkar and V. Baghmanyan and Martins, \{V. Barbosa\} and A. Barnacka and M. Barnard and R. Batzofin and Y. Becherini and D. Berge and K. Bernl{\"o}hr and B. Bi and M. B{\"o}ttcher and C. Boisson and J. Bolmont and \{de Bony de Lavergne\}, M. and M. Breuhaus and R. Brose and F. Brun and T. Bulik and T. Bylund and F. Cangemi and S. Caroff and S. Casanova and J. Catalano and P. Chambery and T. Chand and A. Chen and G. Cotter and M. Cury{\l}o and H. Dalgleish and Mbarubucyeye, \{J. Damascene\} and Davids, \{I. D.\} and J. Davies and J. Devin and A. Djannati-Ata{\"i} and S. Fegan",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} Copyright owned by the author(s) under the terms of the Creative Commons.; 37th International Cosmic Ray Conference, ICRC 2021 ; Conference date: 12-07-2021 Through 23-07-2021",

year = "2022",

month = mar,

day = "18",

language = "English",

volume = "395",

journal = "Proceedings of Science",

issn = "1824-8039",

publisher = "Sissa Medialab Srl",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Astronomy outreach in Namibia

T2 - 37th International Cosmic Ray Conference, ICRC 2021

AU - H.E.S.S. Collaboration

AU - Dalgleish, Hannah

AU - Prokoph, Heike

AU - Zhu, Sylvia

AU - Backes, Michael

AU - Cotter, Garret

AU - Catalano, Jacqueline

AU - Ruiz-Velasco, Edna

AU - Kasai, Eli

AU - Abdalla, H.

AU - Aharonian, F.

AU - Benkhali, F. Ait

AU - Angüner, E. O.

AU - Arcaro, C.

AU - Armand, C.

AU - Armstrong, T.

AU - Ashkar, H.

AU - Baghmanyan, V.

AU - Martins, V. Barbosa

AU - Barnacka, A.

AU - Barnard, M.

AU - Batzofin, R.

AU - Becherini, Y.

AU - Berge, D.

AU - Bernlöhr, K.

AU - Bi, B.

AU - Böttcher, M.

AU - Boisson, C.

AU - Bolmont, J.

AU - de Bony de Lavergne, M.

AU - Breuhaus, M.

AU - Brose, R.

AU - Brun, F.

AU - Bulik, T.

AU - Bylund, T.

AU - Cangemi, F.

AU - Caroff, S.

AU - Casanova, S.

AU - Catalano, J.

AU - Chambery, P.

AU - Chand, T.

AU - Chen, A.

AU - Cotter, G.

AU - Curyło, M.

AU - Dalgleish, H.

AU - Mbarubucyeye, J. Damascene

AU - Davids, I. D.

AU - Davies, J.

AU - Devin, J.

AU - Djannati-Ataï, A.

AU - Fegan, S.

PY - 2022/3/18

Y1 - 2022/3/18

N2 - Astronomy plays a major role in the scientific landscape of Namibia. Because of its excellent sky conditions, Namibia is home to ground-based observatories like the High Energy Spectroscopic System (H.E.S.S.), in operation since 2002. Located near the Gamsberg mountain, H.E.S.S. performs groundbreaking science by detecting very-high-energy gamma rays from astronomical objects. The fascinating stories behind many of them are featured regularly in the “Source of the Month”, a blog-like format intended for the general public with more than 170 features to date. In addition to other online communication via social media, H.E.S.S. outreach activities have been covered locally, e.g. through ‘open days’ and guided tours on the H.E.S.S. site itself. An overview of the H.E.S.S. outreach activities are presented in this contribution, along with discussions relating to the current landscape of astronomy outreach and education in Namibia. There has also been significant activity in the country in recent months, whereby astronomy is being used to further sustainable development via human capacity-building. Finally, as we take into account the future prospects of radio astronomy in the country, momentum for a wider range of astrophysics research is clearly building — this presents a great opportunity for the astronomy community to come together to capitalise on this movement and support astronomy outreach, with the overarching aim to advance sustainable development in Namibia.

AB - Astronomy plays a major role in the scientific landscape of Namibia. Because of its excellent sky conditions, Namibia is home to ground-based observatories like the High Energy Spectroscopic System (H.E.S.S.), in operation since 2002. Located near the Gamsberg mountain, H.E.S.S. performs groundbreaking science by detecting very-high-energy gamma rays from astronomical objects. The fascinating stories behind many of them are featured regularly in the “Source of the Month”, a blog-like format intended for the general public with more than 170 features to date. In addition to other online communication via social media, H.E.S.S. outreach activities have been covered locally, e.g. through ‘open days’ and guided tours on the H.E.S.S. site itself. An overview of the H.E.S.S. outreach activities are presented in this contribution, along with discussions relating to the current landscape of astronomy outreach and education in Namibia. There has also been significant activity in the country in recent months, whereby astronomy is being used to further sustainable development via human capacity-building. Finally, as we take into account the future prospects of radio astronomy in the country, momentum for a wider range of astrophysics research is clearly building — this presents a great opportunity for the astronomy community to come together to capitalise on this movement and support astronomy outreach, with the overarching aim to advance sustainable development in Namibia.

M3 - Conference article

AN - SCOPUS:85144153678

SN - 1824-8039

VL - 395

JO - Proceedings of Science

JF - Proceedings of Science

M1 - 1397

Y2 - 12 July 2021 through 23 July 2021

ER -

Astronomy outreach in Namibia: H.E.S.S. and beyond

Abstract

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