🏆 Honored to Win First Prize in the Space Ambassador Contest! 🚀

We are thrilled and deeply honored to announce that we have won the first prize in the Space Ambassador Contest, organized by Space Education and Awareness Drive, Pakistan Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO). This prestigious award recognizes our dedicated efforts in organizing the remarkable World Space Week 2022.

The Space Ambassador Contest sought to acknowledge individuals and organizations that demonstrated outstanding commitment and contribution to promoting space education and awareness in Pakistan. We are humbled to be recognized for our endeavors in organizing the World Space Week, an event that celebrated the wonders of space and inspired countless individuals across the nation.

It fills us with immense pride to share that, according to the WSW 2022 Statistics, Pakistan secured the top position in organizing the highest number of events during the World Space Week 2022. This achievement showcases the enthusiasm and passion for space exploration that exists within our country.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Space Education and Awareness Drive (SEAD) and SUPARCO for honoring us with this prestigious award. We would also like to express our deepest appreciation to all our team members, and volunteers who played an integral role in organizing the World Space Week 2022. It

We are truly grateful for this recognition and remain committed to nurturing a passion for space exploration, fostering scientific curiosity, and advancing space education in Pakistan.

Books: Women in Space Science, Astronomy & Astrophysics

Thanks to the many authors who have delved into the lives and experiences of female space pioneers, astronomers and astrophysicist  we can read about these women’s enthralling and often difficult journeys. Here are some books worth reading 

1- "Rise of the Rocket Girls: The Women Who Propelled Us, from Missiles to the Moon to Mars" by Nathalia Holt - This book tells the story of the female "human computers" who worked at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California and played a crucial role in the development of America's space program.

2- "Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race" by Margot Lee Shetterly - This book (and the movie it inspired) tells the story of the African-American women who worked as mathematicians and engineers at NASA during the space race.

3- "The Glass Universe: How the Ladies of the Harvard Observatory Took the Measure of the Stars" by Dava Sobel - This book tells the story of the women who worked at the Harvard College Observatory in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including Henrietta Swan Leavitt, who discovered the period-luminosity relationship for Cepheid variable stars.

4- "Spacesuit: Fashioning Apollo" by Nicholas de Monchaux - This book tells the story of the development of the spacesuit that allowed astronauts to walk on the moon and includes the stories of the women who worked on its design and production.

5- "The Astronaut Wives Club" by Lily Koppel - This book tells the stories of the women who were married to the astronauts who went to space in the 1960s and 70s, and how their lives were affected by their husbands' careers.

6- "Astrophysics for People in a Hurry" by Neil deGrasse Tyson - This book provides an accessible introduction to astrophysics, including the work of women like Henrietta Swan Leavitt and Vera Rubin.

7- "The Interstellar Age: Inside the Forty-Year Voyager Mission" by Jim Bell - This book tells the story of the Voyager space probes and the women who worked on the mission, including planetary scientist Carolyn Porco and engineer Candy Hansen.

These books offer a diverse range of perspectives on women in space, astronomy, the ISS, and astrophysics, and provide insight into the history and current state of these fields.

Space Science and Astronomy in Schools- STEM Workshop for Teachers, Appreciation and Recognition

On the success of Space Science and Astronomy in Schools-STEM Workshop for Teachers organized by the Computational Astrophysics Lab at NCBC-NEDUET on February 21-22, 2023, we would like to take a moment to express our sincere thanks to our invited speakers:

Dr. Gaitee Hussain, Head of Science Division, European Space Agency, Netherlands 

Dr. Aquib Moin, Associate professor, UAE University, UAE 

Dr. Ahmed H. Abdullah. IAU Astronomer, University of Baghdad, Iraq

Dr. Faisal ur Rahman, Member of EMU-ASKAP and WALLABY-ASKAP Radio Astronomy surveys, CTO of My Impact Meter, Lahore, Pakistan

Mr. Ghulam Mustafa Leghari, Divisional Head Astronomy, Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), Karachi, Pakistan

for their willingness to share their knowledge and experiences and their truly invaluable contribution to the event. We would like to express our deepest gratitude to the teachers of the workshop for all that they did to make the workshop a valuable learning experience for our attendees.  We would like to appreciate the volunteers for their commitment to ensuring that everything ran smoothly and that our attendees were well taken care of. 

We made every effort to be inclusive and build a diverse teacher cohort. The participants were from government and private English, Urdu and Sindhi medium schools. We would like to express our sincere thanks to the participant teachers. Their dedication to the education of their students and their commitment to learning more about space science and astronomy was truly inspiring.

It was a great pleasure for us to host "Meet an IAU Astronomer"  during the workshop, which was a significant attraction for the attendees. To highlight the contributions of women in Astronomy and inspire girls and women to pursue careers in astronomy and STEM fields, we also celebrated "Girls and Women in Astronomy" during the workshop. @astromeetings @womeninSTEM

The goal of this workshop is to create a strong community of astronomy educators who can inspire the next generation of scientists and astronomers in Pakistan. By providing teachers with the knowledge, hands on experience and resources they need, we hope to promote astronomy education and encourage more students to pursue careers in STEM fields.

In the end I'd like to thank the International Astronomical Union, Office of Astronomy for Education for their support in organizing the first ever IAU OAE Astronomy teacher training workshop in Karachi, Pakistan in December 2022, which set a great example and ground for this second workshop "Space Science and Astronomy in Schools- STEM Workshop for Teachers" organized by the Computational Astrophysics Lab at NCBC-NEDUET, Karachi, Pakistan. 

Space Science and Astronomy in Schools- STEM Workshop for Teachers, Venue

The workshop venue is National center in Big Data and Cloud Computing, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, Pakistan. 

NCBC is 600 m (7 minute walk) away from NED Student Gate as shown in the following Google Map. 

NCBC/HPCC from NED Visitor's gate

NCBC is 750 m (10 minute walk) away from NED Maskan Gate as shown in the following Google Map. 

We look forward to seeing you at the workshop. 

Space Science and Astronomy in Schools- STEM Workshop for Teachers, Solar System Observations

University students can also attend these solar system observation sessions at NCBC, NED-UET, Karachi, Pakistan. 

Space Science and Astronomy in Schools- Teacher Training Workshop, INVITED SPEAKER

We are very pleased to announce one of the invited speakers of Space Science and Astronomy-STEM workshop for teachers, Mr. Ghulam Mustafa. 

Stay tuned for workshop updates. 

Space Science and Astronomy in Schools- Teacher Training Workshop, INVITED SPEAKER

We are very pleased to announce one of the invited speakers of Space Science and Astronomy-STEM workshop for teachers, Dr. Syed Faisal ur Rahman. 

Stay tuned for workshop updates. 

Celebrating Women and Girls in Astronomy @ Space Science and Astronomy in Schools- STEM Workshop for Teachers

In Space Science and Astronomy in Schools- STEM Workshop for Teachers at computational Astrophysics Lab, NCBC, NED-UET, we would like to recognize the role of all women in advancing science and encourage everyone on and off the gender spectrum to consider careers in astronomy.

#WomenInAstronomy #WomenInSTEM

Space Science and Astronomy in Schools- STEM Workshop for Teachers, Application Deadline Extension

Space Science and Astronomy in Schools- STEM Workshop for Teachers, application deadline has been extended till February 15, 2023. 

This workshop is organized by Computational Astrophysics Lab, National Center in Big Data and Cloud Computing, NED-UET, Karachi, Pakistan. 

We are committed to building a diversified cohort of teachers who are eager to learn new things and committed to pass on the new knowledge. Apply in this workshop to play important part in promoting Space Science and Astronomy education in Pakistan.

Meet the IAU Astronomer @ Space Science and Astronomy in Schools- STEM Workshop for Teachers

We are very pleased to host "Meet the IAU Astronomer" event at  Computational Astrophysics Lab, NCBC, NED-UET, during Space Science and Astronomy in Schools- Teacher Training Workshop. 

We are thrilled to announce our invited astronomer, Dr. Ahmed H. Abdullah from Iraq. We would like to thanks him for his support and time. 

#IAUOutreach

Space Science and Astronomy in Schools- STEM Workshop for Teachers, INVITED SPEAKERS

We are very pleased to announce two of the invited speakers of this workshop. Stay tuned to know other invited speakers of the workshop :) 

Space Science and Astronomy in Schools- STEM Workshop for Teachers

 After the great success of IAU OAE Astronomy teacher training workshop in December 2022, I am thrilled to announce "Space Science and Astronomy in Schools- STEM  Workshop for Teachers" organized by the Computational Astrophysics lab, National Center for Big Data and Cloud Computing, NED-UET, Karachi February 21-22, 2023. This workshop targets primary and middle school science teachers to supplement their teaching in science by teaching them basic Space Science and  Astronomy from the experts. This workshop consists of lectures, hands on and observation sessions. Workshop participants will be provided workshop learning resources and training kits. 

The workshop is committed to building a diversified teacher cohort and strongly encourages applications from female teachers, and teachers from underprivileged schools.

There is no registration fee for primary and middle school science teachers from government schools and a minimal fee of PKR 5000 for private school science teachers. Hurry up as we have limited seats. 

Application Deadline: February 13, 2023 

Announcement of shortlisted participants: February 15, 2023

Workshop Dates and timings : February 21, 2023 10:00 am- 6:30 pm, February 22, 2023   11:00 am -8:00 pm

Venue: CIS/NCBC, NED-UET, Karachi, Pakistan 

Workshop Application Form

Contact person: Ms. Hira Fatima 

Email: events.ncbc@gmail.com 

IAU OAE Astronomy Teacher Training Workshop- Great Impact

"A good education can change anyone. A good teacher can change everything" Unknown 

 

An anonymous quote states that a good education has the power to change anyone's life, while a good teacher can change everything. This sentiment was brought to life by Ms. Tahira Kanwal, a participant in the IAU OAE Astronomy Teacher Training Workshop.

We are thrilled to acknowledge Ms. Kanwal's efforts in conducting a Galileoscope assembly activity with IAU OAE Astronomy Teacher Training Workshop telescope assembly training kit at the APWA Government Girls Secondary School in Karachi. She went above and beyond in promoting astronomy education. We extend our gratitude to her for sharing pictures of the event with us, and granting us permission to feature them on our workshop blog. Her hard work and dedication are a testament to the impact that effective teaching can have on students' lives.

APWA Government Girls Secondary School, Karachi.

Remember: Never point your telescope at the Sun without proper solar filters or other specialized equipment specifically designed for solar observation. 

IAU OAE Astronomy Teacher Training Workshop-Evaluation and Feedback

During our workshop, we received valuable feedback from 16/17 participants who filled out our feedback form. Their overwhelmingly positive responses endorsed the workshop as a great success. We shared the direct transcription of their feedback forms with IAU OAE in our detailed workshop report. We highly appreciate the suggestions and comments provided by the participants, and we will incorporate them into future workshops.

We were delighted to receive invitations from participants to visit their schools and requests to organize observation sessions for their students. We are working hard to make this happen soon and will stay connected with all participants. Thank you for your enthusiastic support! 

Visit to Taqwa Space Observatory, Bela, Balochistan, Pakistan

 I hail from Karachi, the bustling metropolitan city of Pakistan known for its vibrant culture and bustling city life. Growing up, I developed a keen interest in astronomy, but was often disheartened by the city lights that made it difficult to see the stars.

My dream of witnessing a dark sky full of stars, like the ones depicted in astronomy books, was finally realized on December 30, 2022. I was part of a group of students and faculty members from the Institute of Space Science and Technology at the University of Karachi, who embarked on an educational trip to Taqwa Space Observatory in Bela, Balochistan.

The night air was cool and crisp, perfumed with the scent of earth and wildflowers. Despite the cold weather, we spent an unforgettable night gazing at the mesmerizing beauty of the dark sky filled with stars. It was a surreal experience to witness shooting stars streak across the sky. It was a moment frozen in time, etched forever in my memory.

The sky was an endless canvas, painted with a million glittering stars that twinkled like diamonds. Under that dark, starry sky, I felt small and insignificant, yet connected to something much larger than myself. The vastness of the universe and the beauty of the night sky left me breathless, humbled, and filled with a sense of wonder and awe. It was a magical, unforgettable experience, one that I will always cherish and hold dear to my heart.

Here are some quotations that I love about light pollution and dark sky. 

I can't see the stars anymore living here
Let's go to the hills where the outlines are clear...
~Susan Enan, "Bring On The Wonder," 2005

In the country the darkness of night is friendly and familiar, but in a city, with its blaze of lights, it is unnatural, hostile and menacing. ~W. Somerset Maugham, 1900

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder where you are.
Looking up is no solution;
The sky's so full of light pollution.
~David H. Levy, astronomer, c. 2013, unverified

...suddenly propelled by a desire to see the stars,

i'll find myself driving nowhere

(over great stretches of road)

until some twist around a mountain

obliterates all trace of the city except a vague

luminescence glowing in the sky...

~Ken Sekaquaptewa and Candy St. Jacques, Sahuaro, 1970, yearbook of the Associated Students of Arizona State University

Quotes Source

Unleashing the Curiosity of Future Space Explorers and Astronomers

 I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Society of Space Science Technology (managed by students of Institute of Space Science and Technology, University of Karachi) for inviting me as a guest speaker and judge at the Space Science Awareness Festival 2022. It was a delightful experience to interact with aspiring astronomers and space scientists and witness their impressive models and posters of the solar system, satellites, and beyond.

I commend the organizers, Society of Space Science Technology for putting together a successful event, and I would also like to recognize the schools and teachers who encouraged and supported their students in creating these outstanding projects. These types of educational and outreach events are crucial for bringing space science and astronomy into schools and inspiring the next generation of scientists.

Thanks to Ms. Aiman Siddique (Head of event) for sharing these pictures with me. 

IAU OAE Astronomy Teacher Training Workshop - Recognition and Appreciation

Alhamdulillah We are pleased to announce that IAU OAE Astronomy Teacher Training Workshop was a great success. We feel very honored and privileged that we organized IAU OAE Astronomy Teacher Training Workshop at Institute of Space Science and Technology, University of Karachi. 

We would like to express my deepest gratitude to the International Astronomical Union, Office of Astronomy Education for their trust, generous funding and kind support. 

We are very grateful to our international online speakers for their time, support and wonderful talks:

Prof. Dr. Debra Elmegreen, IAU President, New York, United States

Dr. Gaitee Hussain, Head of Science Division, European Space Agency, Netherlands

Dr. Aquib Moin, Associate Professor, United State Emirates University, UAE

Dr. Saeed Salimpour, Astronomy Education Research Coordinator at Office of Astronomy for Education (OAE), International Astronomical Union (IAU)

Dr. Anna Sippel, OAE Project Scientist, OAE, IAU

Dr. Tshiamiso Makwela, Astronomy Education Research Coordinator, OAE, IAU

We are thankful to Ms. Manisha Dwa our TTP buddy from the OAE in Nepal. 

We are very thankful to Mr. Ghulam Mustafa Laghari, Divisional Head Astronomy,  Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), Karachi, who was our guest astronomer and observer of this workshop and Mr. Abdul Salam, SUPARCO), for giving us him time and sharing his valuable knowledge during observation sessions and SUPARCO for sending us Meade Eclipse View 82 mm reflecting telescope, solar filters and Ladkee meteorite for workshop duration.

We are very thankful to the support of District Education Officer (ES&HS), District East, Karachi for helping us reaching out the primary and secondary school science teachers in government schools. 

We would like to express my deepest gratitude to the Prof. Dr. M. Jawed Iqbal, Director, Institute of Space Science and Technology, University of Karachi, for his support through out this workshop and the teachers for sharing their valuable  knowledge:

Mr. Yazdan Zuhad, Institute of Space Science and Technology, University of Karachi

Mr. Moiz Ahmed, Astrophysicist, Taqwa Space Observatory and Kastrodome Space observatory

Ms. Aiman, Institute of Space Science and Technology, University of Karachi

Mr. Fayyaz Ur Rasheed,  Institute of Space Science and Technology, University of Karachi

Mr. Rayan Khan, Founder Cosmic Tribe, Karachi Pakistan

Ms. Asra Jameel, Institute of Space Science and Technology, University of Karachi

We are thankful to our dear students who worked very hard as volunteers to make this event a success:  Ms. Ayesha, Mr. Aly Gajani, Ms. Hareem Zaidi, Ms. Maheen Mansoor, Mr. Ali Areezee, Mr. M. Ahsan, Institute of Space Science and Technology, University of Karachi.

We are very thankful to Prof. Dr. M. Ali Ismail, Director, National Center for Big data and cloud computing,  NED-UET, Karachi, for his moral support during the execution of this workshop. 

Last but not the least we are thankful to the observatory staff Mr. Lavi Masih and Mr. Shamshad for their hard work. 

We would like to highly appreciate the determination and commitment of participant teachers from government and private schools who attended this workshop with all their heart and became the part of our Astronomy education mission.

IAU OAE Astronomy Teacher Training Workshop- Closing Ceremony

Deepest gratitude to Dr. Anna Sippel, OAE Project Scientist, OAE, IAU and Dr. Tshiamiso Makwela, Astronomy Education Research Coordinator, OAE, IAU for their support throughout this project and their special message for the participants of this workshop. 

IAU OAE Astronomy Teacher Training Workshop- A beautiful Astronomical Evening at observatory of University of Karachi

Sunsets and moon rises can be truly breathtaking and awe-inspiring, and observing them can provide a wonderful opportunity to appreciate the natural beauty of our planet and its celestial neighbors.

A sunset occurs when the Sun appears to dip below the horizon, causing the sky to light up with beautiful hues of orange, pink, and purple. A moon rise, on the other hand, is the moment when the Moon first appears above the horizon and can be seen in the sky.

Observing sunsets and moon rises can be a great way to connect with nature and appreciate the beauty of the natural world. The participants in the workshop were able to enjoy this experience and take in the stunning scenery. Such moments can provide a sense of peace and tranquility, and can help us feel more connected to the world around us.

IAU OAE Astronomy Teacher Training Workshop- An Astronomical Surprise for the Participants

Meteorites are pieces of rock and metal that fall to Earth from space. They are typically formed from the debris of asteroids or other planetary bodies. Meteorites are fascinating objects that can provide valuable insights into the formation, composition  and evolution of our Solar System. The Ladkee meteorite, in particular, is a rare and significant find, and seeing it up close can be a truly amazing and awe-inspiring experience.

The participants were able to see and appreciate the Ladkee meteorite. Observing such objects can help inspire curiosity and interest in space science, and can provide valuable opportunities for learning and exploration.

Ladkee Profile: 

• Observed Fall: Yes
• Fell: 4 May 2012
• Country: Pakistan
• Mass: 69 g
• Classification: Ordinary Chondrite (H6)

For further details about Ladkee meteorite visit Meteoritical Bulletin Database