Theme: Who are we, why are we here, what are we going to learn
Theme: Principles of teaching and learning
Theme: Principles of teaching and learning
Theme: Principles of teaching and learning
Building the Future of African Planetaria: Collaboration, Innovation, and Community Impact
Theme: Designing effective and inclusive teaching activities
Theme: Designing effective and inclusive teaching activities
Theme: Designing effective and inclusive teaching activities
This session focuses on the power of storytelling in creating engaging and culturally relevant content that connects audiences with astronomy.
Abstract: Having started with almost no awareness in Astronomy more than 50 years ago, the Astronomy world is now visible to many Tanzanians and Tanzania is now visible to the Astronomy world. We describe and discuss the process, the obstacles, the challenges, the opportunities, and efforts through school and public outreach, school and University education, research using observational...
SheMatters is a STEM-based community engagement initiative aimed at empowering girls from disadvantaged communities, particularly those residing at a foster home for disadvantaged youth in the outskirts of the capital city in Madagascar. This project seeks to inspire and provide hope to vulnerable girls through astronomy outreach, practical skills transfer, and career orientation. By...
Galaxies within a group or a cluster have their radial velocities and positions known to a high degree of accuracy. This information is sufficient to estimate the group mass from the observed deviations from the external Hubble field of velocities by making critical assumptions on eccentricities and equipartition. For a full understanding of the evolution of a galaxy group, we require accurate...
The Supernova Foundation (www.supernovafoundation.org) is a global mentoring and networking programme aimed at women and gender minority physics students, mostly from developing countries, to try to improve gender equality in physics. We target women in physics departments with few or no woman role models and use mentoring by senior female researchers to empower them and give them the support...
Many, if not all, galaxies are believed to host a supermassive black hole (SMBH) which is thought to form an integral ingredient in the evolution of the host galaxies through feedback mechanisms. In this scenario, the host and SMBH is expected to grow symbiotically and one of the favoured scenarios comes from major mergers of galaxies where the SMBHs are expected to merge. To this date, very...
Low surface brightness galaxies (LSBGs) being considered to account for a significant fraction of the total number density of galaxies play a crucial role in galaxy evolution. However, their connection to their local environment remains poorly understood, despite the well-established influence of the environment on the evolution of galaxies. In this talk, I will primarily present our recent...
In Ghana, only 25% of STEM positions are held by women, a figure that dwindles as positions rise in leadership, revealing a stark gender disparity. At the same time, quality STEM education remains inaccessible to most Ghanaians, leaving young people without the skills needed to secure jobs right out of school. The public education system, though rich in potential, often lacks the resources to...
The presence of an accretion disk (AD) in active galactic nuclei (AGN) has limited and indirect observational support. In order to evaluate the extent to which the AD is a source of the broad Balmer lines and high ionization UV lines in radio-loud (RL) AGN, we focused on an extremely jetted RL quasar 3C 47 at z = 0.425, that shows a double-peaked profile. The work presents its new optical...
The SC2RG survey aims to constrain the star formation history (SFH) of collisional ring galaxies (CRGs) by investigating bound stellar clusters and large-scale star-forming clumps in their field. CRGs are the result of a drop-through collision between the rotation axis of larger spiral disk galaxy and a nearby small companion. They represent a special class of interacting galaxies...
Measurements of galaxy cluster kinematics have the potential to provide constraints in dark modeling and a unique constraint on baryon density in an intercluster medium. This work uses a 1-point statistical detection of the kSZ signal in ACTPol DR4 maps. To obtain the kSZ signal, we perform aperture photometry on BOSS NORTH and Deep 56 regions of ACTPol DR4 using galaxy cluster positions from...
The adoption of the cascade approach by the AFAS education and outreach committee in the promulgation of the science of astronomy has been essential in the development of astronomy in Lejja, Nigeria. This project engaged 280 science senior secondary school students and 15 teachers at Community Secondary School and Federal Government Secondary School, both in rural Lejja, Enugu State, Nigeria....
The Shapley Superlcuster is the most massive gravitationally bound structure in the nearby Universe, consisting of many galaxy clusters and groups at various evolutionary stages of merger activity. Using various SKA pathfinders, we study this prime example of large scale structure formation at unprecedented sensitivities. In particular, we present the findings in our multiwavelendgth study of...
Astronomy outreach at the primary school level plays a vital role in building STEM interest across Africa. This presentation shares experiences and outcomes from a targeted astronomy outreach program conducted across four primary schools in Kenya’s Trans-Nzoia and Kiambu counties, reaching over 300 students in grades 4 and 5 by Elimisha Msichana Elimisha Jamii na Astronomia (EMEJA). The...
The Fornax cluster provides an interesting environment to study galaxy evolution. It is still actively assembling mass, with the infalling group Fornax A on the outskirts and an overdense region around the brightest cluster galaxy at the center. The study of this cluster’s environment and the physical processes that govern the transition from blue to red galaxies is crucial for understanding...
The diffuse intragroup light (IGL) is a pervasive feature of galaxy groups consisting of an extended low-surface-brightness component that permeates the intergalactic medium of these galaxy associations. It is believed to form from stars removed from the outermost regions of the galaxies, or that have formed in situ due to the numerous close interactions during the initial phases of galaxy...
In an era where modernization and light pollution increasingly obscure our connection to the night sky, cultural astronomy—once central to African communities—is fading into history. The Fireside Sky Watch Fest 2024, hosted by Promoting Astronomy in Ghana through School Visits and Astronomy Clubs (PRAGSAC) in collaboration with the Department of Earth Science, University of Ghana, and...
Richard Gross, Jack Radcliffe, Roelf Botha, Albert Momo, Alet de Witt
The 2025–2035 National Multi-Wavelength Astronomy Strategy presents a focused approach to advancing astronomy in South Africa. With key facilities like the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory and the South African Astronomical Observatory, the strategy prioritizes enhancing research across multiple wavelengths while contributing to national goals. It aims to strengthen collaboration...
The Pan-African Citizen Science e-Lab (PACS e-Lab) is an online platform that engages Africans, including those in North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, in hands-on activities in space science and astronomy. We run five main projects, including exoplanet observations, asteroid searches, deep space image processing, double star research, and ARISS.
Since its founding in December 2020, we have...
Detected on the 9th of October in 2022, the brightest of all time (BOAT) gamma-ray burst GRB 221009A has been estimated to occur once per 10,000 years by extrapolating gamma-ray fluence distribution of known GRBs to the fluence of GRB 221009A. It would be a large coincidence if such a GRB occurred in the approximately 50 years that humanity has had the ability to detect such bursts. Here we...
The menace of light pollution is currently a major problem for astronomers, and there is an urgent need for scientific and societal intervention. This project used the principles of automation technology through the Internet of Things (IoT) to provide solutions to light pollution. Also, this project adopted a citizen science approach for dark sky advocacy among its participants. This project,...
Although stellar occultations by small Solar System bodies are regularly observed by astrophysicists across the African continent—in countries such as Algeria, Namibia, and South Africa etc., Our continent remains underrepresented in global institutions working in this field, such as the International Occultation Timing Association (IOTA). This organization promotes the study of this topic by...
Mauve is a satellite equipped with a 13-cm telescope and a UV-Visible spectrometer (with an
operative wavelength range of 200-700 nm) conceived to measure the stellar magnetic activity and
variability. The science program will be delivered via a multi-year collaborative survey program,
with thousands of hours each year available for long baseline observations of hundreds of...
As a Scientific Officer at the NASRDA Center for Basic Space Science, a branch of the Nigerian Space Agency, my position has enabled me to engage in collaborative astronomical research with international groups, including the International Astronomical Search Collaboration (IASC) and the Pan-African Citizen Science e-Lab (PACS e-Lab). I joined these groups in 2021 and have been actively...
MAXI J1535-571 outburst evolution is driven by physical mechanisms that mediate the accretion flow dynamical behavior/characteristics. In this study, MAXI J1535-571 data observed by MAXI/GSC, NuSTAR, and SWIFT/BAT, were analyzed using HEASoft v6.2 and its software packages. Spectral fitting/modelling was done in XSPEC v12.10.1f using phenomenological and physical models. MAXI J1535-571 X-ray...
Astronomy is a fascinating field of physics that studies celestial objects, such as stars, planets, comets, and galaxies, as well as phenomena that occur outside Earth's atmosphere. At the physics department of the University of Burundi, we have been running successive physics programs but with a relatively weak astronomy program. However, our astronomy program has taken a new turn due to our...
The Kenya Space Agency (KSA) is embracing the Asteroid Search Campaign as part of its mission to foster hands-on activities in Astronomy and Space Science in Kenya. Our mandate is to promote, coordinate, and regulate all space-related activities in the country.
At KSA, students on attachment and internship are inducted into the campaign processes and issued certificates upon participation....
Black widow and redback compact binaries are collectively known as ‘spider’ binary systems in which a millisecond pulsar heats and ablates its low-mass companion via its intense pulsar wind. They are an important type of pulsar system differentiated by their companion’s mass and nature. These systems manifest a rich empirical phenomenology, including radio eclipses, optical light curves from a...
The Pan-African Citizen Science e-Lab (PACS e-Lab) was founded to engage the African public in citizen science and amateur astronomy research as a means of advancing space research and exploration, as well as enhancing space education and outreach. I have participated in the group’s various research activities and discovered asteroid 2021 RZ190. Additionally, I have conducted research on the...
Many newly discovered near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) are small ($<$100 m), yet they still pose significant risks if they impact Earth. Therefore, continued research and observation are crucial for the small NEA population, where characterisation significantly lags behind discovery rates. Our program at the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) utilises the robotic capabilities of the...
Amateur Astronomy Libya (AALY) is a pioneering organization that engages Libyan youth in astronomy inquiry. Our mission is to utilize astronomy to revitalize STEM learning after the setbacks in Libya's educational system caused by the war. We achieve this by producing digital educational content in Arabic, Libya’s local language, and leveraging resources from international...
Over the past decade, we have picked up additional pieces of the puzzle of the formation of massive stars from high-resolution millimeter observations and high cadence maser monitoring observations. Filaments, fibre, pre-stellar core (still fair elusive but more have been detected), cold and hot cores, accretions bursts are among the pieces of the puzzle with which to reconstruct the...
The Drake Equation offers an engaging and interdisciplinary framework for exploring the possibilities of extraterrestrial life and advancing scientific literacy. By explicating each factor in this renowned equation, key concepts from astrobiology, chemistry, and basic physics are introduced to provide a structured approach to understanding extraterrestrial phenomena. This pedagogical...
From a survey of 24 star-forming regions made using the Green Bank 100m telescope with the C-band receiver in full Stokes mode, we have discovered two sources of 4.765 GHz exOH masers that display circular polarisation. Linear polarisation has previously been found in flaring 4.765 GHz exOH masers in Mon R2 IRS 3, but this is the first time that circular polarisation has been found in these...
Abstract:
The relationship between astronomy and medicine may not seem immediately obvious, but both fields share deep connections in advancing human understanding and improving quality of life. This talk explores the fascinating intersection where these disciplines meet, particularly in the areas of technology, health, and space exploration. Innovations developed for space missions, such as...
In many century, Arabs and Muslims have contributed in many fields of knowledge and
science with the testimony of near and far. They were a great deal of creativity, innovation and
scientific production. They paid attention to what other predecessors of the other nations had
studied. They translated their works into Arabic and added a lot of their research to them. They
wrote many unique...
In this presentation we will briefly give an overview of the Egyptian heritage and astronomical legacy, which can be well serve as a good tool for astronomical awareness and education. We will present different elements of our heritage represented in:
Astronomical myths - manuscripts, Astronomical books with tables (astronomical tables). Meteorite craters spread in various areas on the...
Massive stars release vast amounts of energy into the interstellar medium through their lifetime processes and supernova explosions, compressing nearby regions and triggering star formation. While triggering mechanisms have been studied on smaller scales, comprehensive analysis on a larger MilkyWay scale has been hindered by the lack of high-quality radio imaging and the limited angular...
The study of protoplanetary disks provides invaluable insights into the processes governing planetary formation and the chemistry of the early solar systems. This talk will present new data on the detection of COMs in the disk around V883 Ori. Using high-resolution spectroscopy of Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) Band 7 observations, we explored the spatial distribution and...
The next generation of telescopes such as the SKA and the Vera C. Rubin Observatory will produce enormous data sets, far too large for traditional analysis techniques. Machine learning has proven invaluable in handling massive data volumes and automating many tasks traditionally done by human scientists. In this talk, I will explore the use of machine learning for automating the discovery and...
The fields of robotics and astronomy are rapidly advancing, yet awareness of their educational potential remains limited among many communities. This study investigates the use of online questionnaires to assess and raise awareness of robotics and astronomy education during science events. Online surveys were distributed at various science outreach activities, including workshops and public...
Compton-thick AGN (CT AGN) are characterised by extreme dust obscuration, and limited visibility in X-ray wavelengths due to the X-ray radiation from the corona being reprocessed into near infrared wavelengths by dust and gas in the torus. New JWST surveys permit investigation of the properties of AGN and host galaxy populations in rest-frame optical between $0.5 < z < 4$; this spans the...
Based on a small sample research project, we found out that even though the Southern African Large Telescope(SALT) has been in Sutherland for 20 years, some community members in Sutherland have a keen interest to know more about what really happens behind the scenes when astronomers observe. During this talk, I shall present how we conducted the first contact, with whom,the feedback from the...
We investigate star formation activities in galaxy clusters by leveraging radio continuum data from the red-sequence Matched-filter Probabilistic Percolation (redMaPPer) catalogs, which encompass a redshift range of 0.06 to 0.55. These clusters serve as a robust dataset for studying the interplay between galaxy evolution and cluster environments. To achieve this, we employ a stacking analysis...
With increasing Astronomical research and development in the African continent, fostering early engagement in astronomy to high school learners is crucial in nurturing the next generation of African astronomers. A pilot project established through the collaboration of South African and Zambian schools aimed to use the Astronomy and Space Science debate as a potential tool to engage African...
The next generation of radio telescopes, such as the Square Kilometre Array, set to become the largest radio telescope in the world, will conduct surveys generating catalogues of millions of radio galaxies. Analysing and maximising the scientific return from these enormous astronomical datasets will require the development of innovative techniques.
The 21 cm neutral hydrogen (HI) emission...
Overview of the project’s goals, structure, and success stories.
Participants will work on disassembling a PANOPTES camera box.
The International Astronomical Union (IAU) National Outreach Coordinators (NOC) Network serves as a vital link between global astronomy outreach initiatives and local communities across nations and territories. Acting as points of contact, NOCs facilitate the implementation of IAU outreach programs while addressing regional needs and fostering international collaboration.
Over the last...
I will provide an overview of the telescopes owned, operated and hosted by the South African Astronomical Observatory, a national facility of the National Research Foundation of South Africa, at the observing site near Sutherland in the Northern Cape of South Africa. This includes the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), 3 SAAO 1-m class telescopes and a number of international hosted...
As astronomy education and space science gain traction, integrating astronomy into formal schooling has become a notable development, nurturing students' astronomical literacy and fostering their capacity for creative problem-solving. By leveraging engineering design processes and scientific inquiry, educators can facilitate the practical application of astronomical knowledge in real-world...
Astronomy has a unique ability to inspire curiosity and foster a passion for science among students. However, in Tanzanian secondary schools, astronomy education is constrained by limited curriculum integration, insufficient teaching resources, and a lack of teacher training. This presentation will provide an in-depth look at the current state of astronomy education in Tanzania, highlighting...
SALT is a 10-m class optical telescope located in Sutherland, South Africa, owned by an international consortium and operated in fully queue-scheduled mode by the South African Astronomical Observatory.
In this paper we present an update on all observatory performance metrics since the start of full science operations in late 2011, including science time, weather and technical downtime, and...
The teaching of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics concepts posses some challenges in quite a number of developing nations. This is due in part to the lack of adequate laboratories and/or equipment that can be used for demonstration. It is also challenging to conduct experiments with classes whose numbers more than double the optimum class sizes.
We mitigate such...
The Intelligent Observatory (IO) program represents a transformative step forward in the field of astronomical research and operations, led by the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO). This initiative integrates advanced automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and data science into observatory operations to enhance the efficiency, accessibility, and scientific output of telescopes...
Introduction
Astronomy outreach programs play a pivotal role in sparking interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines among students. In Arusha Region of Tanzania, where secondary schools often lack adequate resources for hands-on science education, astronomy outreach initiatives provide a unique opportunity to inspire students, cultivate curiosity, and...
Flash is a new telescope being commissioned at the University of Cape Town to later be permanently installed at the South African Astronomical Observatory’s site in Sutherland, Northern Cape. This telescope will have two running modes, both utilizing CMOS technology to image at 1-second cadences. Survey mode will scan the full sky using SDSS filters going as deep as 17.7 magnitudes and...
The department of physics at the University of Zululand, one of the rural based higher institutions in Vulindlela, KZN, South Africa is embarking on a new journey to introduce astronomy and astrophysics both at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The university started the idea of having astronomy research in the department of physics after it was involved in the Astrolab training organized...
The Robotic Optical Transient Search Experiment (ROTSE, http://www.rotse.net/) was a network of 4 robotic telescopes, designed to respond to alerts of transient events, particular fast transients like gamma-ray bursts. I will discuss the project to refurbish the ROTSE IIIc facility, situated at the HESS site in Namibia, which was de-commissioned in 2013. Of the 3 other ROTSE III systems, in...
The Astronomy for Mental Health flagship project, led by the International Astronomical Union's Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD), combines astronomy and mental health to address pressing global challenges.
Despite growing awareness of mental health’s importance, barriers such as stigma, limited care access, and low community engagement persist. This flagship leverages the universal...
The world faces a huge gender gap in science. In Ethiopia, only about 13% of all scientists are women, and this fraction is even lower when considering the fundamental sciences. Girls avoid choosing STEM mainly due to a lack of support and/or information. This becomes even more evident when going to remote areas, where 80% of the Ethiopian population lives. The SciGirls project aims to improve...
"Bridging Worlds Through Words" explores the transformative role of multilingual, interactive learning materials in making astronomy accessible to diverse communities. Leveraging my background in computer engineering and my commitment to bridging educational divides, I have been part of a groundbreaking effort to create Ethiopia’s first translated flyers for astronomy outreach. Available in...
Radio emission from radio loud galaxies is dominated by synchrotron radiation from their powerful radio jets. Their radio quiet counterparts lack these powerful jets hence their source of radio emission is still unclear hence several options have been proposed including; AGN winds, corona, jets and star formation. In this work, we use NGC 1068 as a representative candidate of a radio quiet...
Astronomy has a unique ability to inspire curiosity and innovation, making it an exceptional tool for advancing STEM education and addressing educational inequities. In Nigeria, a country with diverse cultures and significant socio-economic challenges, the potential of astronomy to foster interest in science and technology is vast but underutilized. This presentation highlights the...
Most (if not all) galaxies host a supermassive black hole (SMBH) in their center. These SMBHs accrete cold gas, and the viscous drag on the accretion disks produces a highly luminous source we identify as an active galactic nuclei (AGN). AGNs are some of the most luminous sources of electromagnetic radiation in the universe, as such they play an important role in the study of galaxy evolution...
Context. Active galactic nuclei (AGN) are some of the brightest sources in the Universe, emitting light at all wavelengths due to their complex structure. Deep multiwavelength extragalactic surveys are therefore important for understanding the full physics of AGN and their role in the formation and evolution of galaxies. The Lockman-SpReSO survey is one of the deepest multiwavelength...
As the Founder of the Kenya Space Society and a dedicated astrophysics graduate, my goal is to advance astronomy and space sciences in Kenya through community engagement, education and strategic partnerships. In this presentation, I will share the progress and impact of the Kenya Space Society in fostering an interest in astronomy among Kenyan students, scientists and educators, aligning with...
The National Astronomy Education Coordinator (NAEC) team for Mali, led by Professor Abdoulkarim Aliou, has been instrumental in developing and implementing astronomy education programs across the country. Since 1994, Professor Aliou has led several activities towards astronomy education on a national level. His work includes creating curriculum materials, organizing national Olympiad on...
Astrophysics traditionally deals with phenomena and objects in which quantum effects are not expected to be important or even significant – too large, too massive, too hot. Therefore, does it make sense to speak about “quantum astrophysics” as a separate discipline, and what would its key features and ideology be?
We consider a general relativistic model of a self-interacting complex scalar...
Despite the prevalence of science subjects in Zimbabwean secondary schools and tertiary institutions, access to astronomy education is limited. The Zimbabwean Astronomical Society (ZAS) aims to address this gap. ZAS aims to cultivate an appreciation for astronomy through public astronomy outreach, citizen science projects, workshops, and seminars primarily targeted towards secondary school and...
We present in this study a recent analysis of the challenges surrounding the preservation of night sky quality in astronomical observatories, focusing particularly on the Oukaimeden Observatory in Morocco's Atlas Mountains. This work draws on recent research into light pollution, its impacts on astronomical observations, and mitigation strategies.
Findings reveal that increasing...
The Kenyatta University Physics Club (KUPHYC) is a vibrant youth-led initiative dedicated towards igniting interest in STEM, with an increasing focus on astronomy. Our activities include workshops in Astronights, featuring celestial observations and astrophysics conversations, as well as partnerships with international events like International Cosmic Day and masterclasses like the Atlas and...
In recent decades, flux-transport-dynamo models have emerged as a promising and crucial framework for understanding the dynamics of the Sun's magnetic field and solar cycle (Choudhuri et al. (1995); Dikpati et al. (2009); Wang et al. (1991)). Their importance lies in their ability to reproduce key features of the solar cycle and provide valuable insights into the Sun's magnetic field...
This study focuses on geological mapping of young (< 20 Ma) Martian craters that are considered to be possible sources of Martian meteorites. The objective is to examine differences and similarities, taking advantage of the fresh morphologies, not affected by a long-history of post-impact processes.
Here we report preliminary results related to the geological mapping of five craters; Mojave,...
The aspiration of creating awareness and visibility on astronomy among the physics enthusiast in the university is though hands-on experiences. The Kenyatta University Physics outreach club (KUPHYC) has been active in outreach activities that are not only informative, but also offering hands-on experiences. In the quest to creating awareness and interest in astronomy, especially on SKA and AVN...
The detection of exoplanets, particularly Earth-like ones, requires achieving unparalleled contrast levels to separate faint planetary signals from the overwhelming glare of host stars. Coronagraphy remains a cornerstone of high-contrast imaging, with its performance closely tied to advancements in apodization techniques.
In this study, we focus on Interferometric Apodization by Homothety...
Since 2017, when the DARA (Development in Africa with Radio Astronomy) basic training program began in Mozambique, we have made significant progress in advancing astronomy in the country. However, the community of astronomers in Mozambique remains very small, with only 13 astronomers currently. To address this, we recently established the Mozambican Astronomical Society (Associação Moçambicana...
Neutrinos, while often considered Majorana fermions, can also behave effectively as Dirac fermions, making them candidates for pseudo-Dirac particles. This concept introduces the possibility of oscillations between active and sterile neutrinos, driven by a small mass-squared difference. This phenomenon differs from the standard oscillation scenario involving only the three active neutrino...
Space inclusion in the current African STEM education particularly in Cameroon (A “developing country”) is usually neglected. Space technology, such as satellites and space missions are still a great black box to the common manhood, whereas they are increasingly utilized in the 21st century for the betterment of man's life.
At Nanosatellite Missions Design (NMD) Ltd, where I exercise as...
This study investigates the time delays (∆t) in the arrival times of photons with different frequencies from multiple Gamma-Ray Burst (GRB) events, using a novel Linear Frequency Dependent Speed of Light (LFDSL) model developed from Maxwell’s equations, dispersion effects and plasma physics. The delays are hypothesized to arise from the interaction between photons and the electrons in a...
The University of Zululand (UNIZULU) is situated in the province of KwaZulu Natal (KZN) on the east coast of South Africa in a largely rural area. Learners, students and educators in this area have very little or no exposure to astronomy and telescopes. UNIZULU has not offered many courses in Astronomy. However, with the developments in astronomy that have been taking place in South Africa...
Since the accidental discovery of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) in 1964-65, detailed studies of it have allowed us to measure many of the most important properties of the Universe. Cosmic Inflation, first proposed by Alan Guth in 1980, argues that between about $10^{-36}$ and $10^{-32}~{\rm s}$ after the Big Bang the Universe underwent a period of very rapid expansion, increasing its...
Astronomy's Role in Addressing Local Economies and Community Engagement
Ruth Jebet(1)
(1)SpaceGenerationAdvisoryCouncil, 30900, Eldoret, 30100, Kenya, +254792862329
Keywords: astronomy, local economies, community engagement, socio-economic development, astrotourism
Astronomy has the potential to significantly impact local economies and foster community engagement...
In the talk I discuss a novel approach to leverage the anisotropy of the HI 21-cm signal, traditionally used to study the astrophysics of the reionization era, as a powerful diagnostic for post-reionization dark energy. These findings demonstrate that the anisotropy probe achieves a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of approximately 10, measurable in both auto-correlation and cross-correlation with...
Most galaxies do not evolve in isolation. Their properties are impacted by their environment. Galaxy clusters are the most massive, densest, gravitationally bound structures in the universe comprised of thousands of galaxies contained within a region of a few cubic megaparsecs. In this environment, galaxies have frequent, high-speed interactions that disrupt their outer disks. Further, as they...
Dr. Linda Strubbe (Project Lead for BLUEshift Africa) will present key findings from the Survey on Undergraduate Astronomy in Africa, conducted by BLUEshift in January 2025. She will also present an overview of the BLUEshift project, focusing on the Workshop on Undergraduate Teaching being held as a Pre-Conference Event at AfAS.
Town Hall participants are invited to collectively brainstorm implications of these findings and potential next steps.
- Welcome and Opening of the General Assembly Meeting
- Adoption of Agenda
- Report of the President / Achievements 2022/23-2024/25
Author:
Co-Authors: Seblu Humne Negu, and Oleg Malkov and Solomon Belay Tessema
Based on cross-identification of objects in several principal catalogs of cataclysmic variables (CV), a comprehensive list of about a thousand CV was compiled for the first time. It contains coordinates, magnitude, orbital period, classification, indication of eclipsing/spectroscopic binary (as well as...
Understanding the structural diversity of galaxies is essential for investigating their evolution and addressing the impact of source structure on celestial reference frames, where intrinsic variability and extended structures can significantly influence positional accuracy and stability.
This study uses a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) to automate the classification of galaxy...
Exoplanet surveys suggest that both stellar metallicity and mass play a key role in the formation of giant planets. However, measuring accurate and precise stellar masses in retired (subgiants and red giants) stars is more difficult than in main-sequence stars, raising concerns about the reliability of studies linking stellar mass to planet formation. For nearly a decade, the uncertainty in...
Affordable Multiple Aperture Spectroscopy Explorer (AMASE) is an optical spectroscopic survey of the ionized gas in Milky Way and all Local Group star-forming galaxies at spatial scales of 0.1 to 100 pc and a spectral resolution of 𝝈 = 8.5 km s^-1. Key emission lines captured include Hα, Hβ, HeII, and strong emission lines of forbidden OI, OIII, NII, and SII in two windows between 4640-5092 Å...
Given their dominance of the galaxy number density, dwarf galaxies are central to our understanding of galaxy formation. While the incidence of AGN and their impact on galaxy evolution has been extensively studied in massive galaxies, much less is known about the role of AGN in the evolution of dwarfs. We search for radiatively-efficient AGN in the nearby (0.1 < 𝑧 < 0.3) dwarf (8 < Log...
Future space computing systems can be realized using space-based data centers. These space-based data centers are beneficial being independent of earth’s environmental resources notably water. Their environmental friendly operation coupled with an increasing deployment of space data acquisition assets alongside other space applications makes them suitable for future space based data...
This work investigates the astero seismological properties of RR Lyrae variable stars through a detailed comparison of light curves obtained from the Kepler Space Telescope, the Oukaimeden Observatory, and the TESS satellite. Focusing on the prototype RR Lyr, we explore the synergy between high-precision space-based data and complementary ground-based observations.
Kepler provided continuous...
Astronomy, as an accessible and inspiring science, plays a key role in promoting education and development in Morocco. Through diverse engagements, including active participation in NOC Morocco (National Outreach Coordinator),NAEC (National Astronomy Education Coordinator), the African Science Star, and the Les Étoiles du Petit Prince initiative, a wide range of activities has been implemented...
Fast rotating massive pulsators in eclipsing binaries are suitable probing power houses for interior mixing and angular momentum transport in massive stars. Different mixings have been prescribed such as convective mixing in which only matter is mixed and penetrative mixing in which matter and heat are mixed. These mixing processes increase the core mass of the star and are greatly impacted...
Education and public engagement are vital components of fostering a science-driven society, especially in developing regions where access to scientific resources may be limited. This poster highlights the Africa Millimetre Telescope (AMT) Mobile Planetarium’s role in promoting astronomy education and inspiring scientific curiosity in Namibia, emphasizing its potential as a model for similar...
Astronomy serves as a powerful tool for promoting peace and cultural exchange. The first Space Camp in Libya, organized by the Roaya for Astronomy and Space Applications Foundation, and the collaborative initiative known as the Celestial Sands AstroCamp 2025 exemplify this potential. Libya’s Space Camp, held in May 2023 in the historic city of Cyrene, engaged 20 young participants in...
This study presents an investigation of analysis of photometric variable Pre-Main Sequence stars in the star-forming region Sharpless 2-86 (Sh2-86). Sh2-86 is a prominent HII region located in the Vulpecula constellation, known for its active star formation and is part of the larger Vulpecula OB1 association. We identified the young stellar objects (YSOs) census using the method described by...
The chemical abundance of active galaxies, which host active galactic nuclei (AGN) at their centre, remains poorly studied, most often due to the difficulty of removing the effect of AGN in metallicity measurements. In particular, the chemical abundance of active galaxies in different environments, including clusters and groups of galaxies, is still unknown. In this work, we use a novel HCm...
Pulsars, highly magnetized rotating neutron stars, exhibit sudden rotational frequency changes called glitches. These events provide insights into neutron star interiors, where extreme conditions govern matter behaviour. When the distribution of glitch sizes is bimodal, it is an indication that two trigger mechanisms are responsible for the glitches. On the other hand, a strong correlation...
The increasing congestion in low Earth orbit (LEO) has heightened the need for proactive space situational awareness (SSA) to mitigate collision risks among active satellites. This study presents a conjunction analysis for Kenya's Taifa-1 56208 satellite and the SpaceBEE-163-55089 satellite constellation using conjunction data messages (CDMs) from the United States Strategic Command...
The Fiche Chambalala festival, celebrated by the Sidama people of Ethiopia, incorporates a unique cosmic calendar that aligns agricultural practices with celestial events. The calendar is based on the observation of the Pleiades star cluster (known as "Kore") and the position of the moon. By understanding the cosmic calendar, the Sidama people can determine the optimal time for planting,...
21-cm emission from neutral hydrogen is a
promising tool for probing the matter distribution in the universe post-reionization. The
HI signals contain signatures of the primordial universe and the growth of large-scale
structure in the universe. These signatures are typically analyzed via the 2-point corre-
lation function or power spectrum. However, adding the information from the...
This project focuses on the design and construction of an Astro photographic equatorial mount, a crucial tool for long-exposure astrophotography. The equatorial mount’s precision tracking capabilities ensure that celestial objects remain stationary in the camera’s field of view, enabling the capture of detailed and clear astronomical images. The project involves conceptualizing, designing,...
In large optical surveys, a bi-modal distribution of galaxies has been observed at all redshifts based on parameters such as colour, luminosity, stellar mass, star formation rate (SFR), and specific SFR. This distribution separates galaxies into the blue cloud, with active star formation, and the red sequence, with galaxies hosting older stellar populations. The region between the blue cloud...
At the start of the solar activity cycle, a few spots appear at high latitudes. These spots gradually migrate toward mid-latitudes as activity peaks and eventually approach the equator by the cycle's end. This progression illustrates how spots at various phases of the magnetic cycle trace distinct latitudes.
This work presents a chromospheric and photometric analysis of HIP12653 to explore...
The most massive galaxies of the Universe (M_stellar > 10^11 M_Sun) underwent a dramatic metamorphosis, moving from tiny disks at z = 2-3 to the huge spheroids that dominate galaxy clusters in the local Universe. However, their study was thus far hampered by the modest spatial resolution that we could achieve even with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), as well as not being able to investigate...
Galaxy properties trace the local environment differently. Investigating this correlation provides valuable insights into the importance of considering environmental effects in galaxy formation and evolution models. With the SIMBA cosmological hydrodynamical simulation and observational data, we analyse galaxy clustering as a function of colour, specific star formation rate and age. The...
Early-type galaxies (ETGs) are puzzling: cold molecular gas is detected in around a quarter of ETGs, however, they lack notable star formation to the extent that they are called 'red and dead' galaxies. Yet, many ETGs contain significant rotationally-supported gaseous disks. To probe the large-scale dynamics at play within local ETGs, we use the Toomre $𝑄$ ($Q_{T}$) stability criterion to...
strong textPost Common Envelope Binaries (PCEBs) are the remnants of binary star systems that underwent a dramatic phase of mass transfer and orbital shrinkage. This evolutionary phase, known as the common envelope (CE) phase, involved the engulfment of one star by the extended envelope of its companion. The subsequent ejection of the envelope resulted in a tightly bound...
Observational studies have shown mixed results regarding whether luminous quasars reside in overdense or underdense regions. We studied the environments of three hyperluminous obscured quasars, specifically focusing on Hot Dust-Obscured Galaxies (Hot DOGs). In this talk, I will focus on surveying Lyman-break galaxies (LBGs) in the vicinity of these three Hot DOGs to better characterize the...
The geomagnetic cut-off rigidity plays a crucial role in modulating cosmic ray (CR) particles as they interact with Earth's atmosphere. The study examine variations in the geomagnetic effects across high, mid, and low-latitude McMurdo (MCMD), CALGARY (CALG), and EMILIO SEGRE (ESO) neutron monitor (NM) stations from 1999 to 2006. The fully automated algorithm calculated and catalogued 43, 205...
Solar irradiance is the primary energy source for Earth’s climate system, with its variability
influencing atmospheric chemistry, space weather, and climate processes. The solar ascending
phase is characterized by changes in solar surface magnetic flux density which defines the vari-
ations in the UV irradiance. Nevertheless, the link between the two does not seem to be well
understood...
NGC 6819 is a well-studied open cluster located in the northern constellation Cygnus, known for its rich population of stars and moderate age. Complementing the Kepler data, Gaia DR2 offers parallax, proper motion, and photometric data, which we use to establish the cluster’s membership, distance, and overall spatial distribution. Through a combination of proper motion analysis and photometric...
The current work investigates the various levels of geomagnetic storms (Moderate, Intense, and super). In this paper, we have employed ten supervised machine learning (SML) models. The models depend on solar wind parameters (SWP) (Ey, P, T, v, n, Bz) and geomagnetic index SYM-H. The SML utilizes index as outputs and SWP as inputs to predict the SYM-H index. The estimation yielded satisfactory...
The seven open star clusters FSR 0717, FSR 1698, Loden 2313, Ruprecht 49, Majaess 61, Mayer 2,
and Teutsch 48, which are located near the Milky Way’s Galactic plane are studied in this article using
the Gaia DR3 dataset. The estimated numbers of potential cluster members are 102, 362, 285, 197, 95,
116, 160, and 397, correspondingly. The calculated radius values are 3.10 ± 0.20, 3.20 ±...
A neutral hydrogen intensity mapping survey with the MeerKAT radio-telescope set in South Africa offers a great opportunity to study the composition and evolution of our universe. Measuring this small signal is a challenging task due to the many systematics from the instrument.
In this talk, I will discuss the impact of the telescope primary beam on the contamination of the data using...
Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) have emerged as powerful cosmological probes for measuring distances in the Universe. Numerous empirical correlations have been established, particularly about their energy properties. This work aims to enhance the precision of these correlations through joint spectral analysis, focusing on reducing uncertainties in both the spectral indices and the peak energy ($E_{\rm...
Precise estimation of exoplanet-host star properties is essential in our understanding of exoplanetary systems. This relies on the strong synergy between stellar and planetary science. Using the 2-meter telescope at Thüringer Landessternwarte Tautenburg, we obtain spectroscopic observations of a sample of exoplanet-hosts in the planned PLATO viewing zone, and combine them with precise Gaia...
Gravitational anomalies observed within the Solar System present significant challenges to our current understanding of gravitational interactions. These anomalies, including the anomalous secular drifts in the orbits of solar planetary bodies, the Pioneer Anomaly, the Flyby Anomaly, the Faint Young Sun Paradox and anomalous perihelion precession of solar planetary orbits, suggest potential...
Jupyter Trojans are groups of planetesimals that co-orbit the Sun with Jupiter located in the vicinity of Lagrange points L4 and L5 and driven primarily by the gravitational forces of Jupiter and the Sun. They are thought to be early remnants of planetesimals that existed in the planetary regions where planets were formed. Their study is crucial in enhancing our understanding of the Solar...
The impact of hands-on Learning on the teaching of undergraduate astronomy and astrophysics is investigated among undergraduate students. The focus of the study is to find out the impact of hands-on teaching and learning on undergraduate students. Over 100 undergraduates students were involved in the study. The findings from the study shows that employing hands-on teaching and learning has a...
This study investigates the integration of ALBUS, a software tool for ionospheric Total Electron Content (TEC) measurements, with the Meerkat radio telescope array in South Africa. By combining ALBUS's TEC measurement capabilities with Meerkat's radio astronomy data, we aim to improve our understanding of the African ionosphere and develop more sophisticated ionospheric correction techniques....
Primary cosmic ray particles comprise about 85 % protons, 12 % helium, 3 % iron, and heavier elements. These particles interact with the Earth's atmosphere, generating the Extensive Air Showers (EAS). Among the particles produced are pions and kaons, which decay into cosmic ray muons. In this research, the lateral distribution of cosmic ray muons was measured using two-fold coincidences. Four...
ABSTRACT
Cosmic rays are high-energy particles that travel through space at nearly the speed of light. Primary cosmic rays originate from sources such as the sun, supernovae, black holes, and active galactic nuclei. When these primary cosmic rays interact with the Earth's atmosphere, they produce secondary cosmic rays, including cosmic ray muons, which are a significant component that reaches...
In this study, we explored the impact of isolated and group environments on stellar mass, star formation rate (SFR), and specific star formation rate (SSFR) using the catalogue of group and cluster extracted from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 12 (SDSS DR12) for $0.02\leq z\leq0.2$. To mitigate the Malmquist bias, we partitioned the entire dataset into eighteen subsamples with a...
This study involves the use of the friend-of-friend method on the volume-limited samples constructed from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 12 (SDSS DR12) to classify the galaxies into isolated and non-isolated environments, hence to investigate the influence of the galaxy environment on the main sequence of star formation and colour bimodality. We classified the galaxies into the...
The RFI monitoring system was deployed to measure the first Radio Frequency Interference at potential Geodetic Observatory Infrastructure in Toro (GOIT), Center for Geodesy and Geodynamics which is the site location for the deployment of Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI). Several measurements were made with the objectives of establishing the RF interference for the location and to...
AGN are known to undergo multiple cycles of activity but the mechanisms behind these are still under debate. However, such details are crucial information for understanding galaxy evolution and the mechanisms driving jet triggering. We have used 250 to 850 MHz uGMRT (σ = 4 µJy/beam) and 1.4 GHz MeerKAT (σ = 1.5 µJy/beam) observations of the XMM-LSS field under the superMIGHTEE and MIGHTEE...
We investigated the structural characteristics of G7.7-3.7 at a higher resolution of 1284 MHz. Our MeerKAT observations revealed that G7.7-3.7 has an almost circular structure with filamentary features and various blowouts. The western boundary shows a strong bright blowout, while the southern perimeter showcases extended bright filaments with feather-like structures, seemingly disconnected...
We are currently studying the evolution of the infrared-radio correlation (qIR) as a function of redshift (z) and stellar mass (M$_*$) for star-forming galaxies (SFGs) in the COSMOS field, using MIGHTEE Early Science data. Radio-detected galaxies selected down to a 2 μJy flux density limit are cross-matched with multi-wavelength data to classify radio AGN host galaxies and SFGs across 0 < z <...
- Introduction :
Mugana Solar system teaching device is a unique teaching aid used to educate students about
solar system in the subjects of Geography and Physics for the concepts related to Astronomy.
There is a set of three devices (models) which can be easily assembled and disassembled for
storage and transportation. There is also a user manual (English & Kiswahili version)
2....
The speed control of an astronomical dome is crucial for ensuring the precise alignment and efficient operation of telescopes, especially during night-time observations. In this study, we explore various approaches to controlling the rotational speed of an astronomical dome, focusing on systems that allow for accurate synchronization with the telescope's tracking needs. The speed control...
High-mass stars play a crucial role in the evolution of their host galaxies, in spite of which their early formation processes remain poorly understood. G328.24−0.55 is a good source for studying the physical processes of ongoing high-mass star formation activities, such as outflows and rotating structures. This study aimed to improve our understanding of some physical processes of high-mass...
Radio Mini-Halos (MHs) are centrally located, diffuse synchrotron radio sources with typical radius of ∼50–500 kpc. They are generally found in massive, dynamically relaxed, cool-core galaxy clusters, surrounding the Brightest Cluster Galaxy. To date, ∼40 MHs (including candidates) are known, a number that is primarily limited by observational constraints. The MGCLS has significantly...
The morphology of extragalactic radio sources of high and low luminosity has been the subject of a classification method for over four decades, leading to a comprehensive understanding of extragalactic radio sources. The study of FR radio galaxies is still a hot topic. The advent of the SKA pathfinders and precursors has considerably improved the imaging sensitivity over a broad range of...
We herein present what we propose could be a plausible solution to the current, in-interesting and topical problem in cosmology — the Hubble Tension. This problem of the Hubble tension seems to have thrown all of cosmology into a crisis. By employing the seemingly temarious hypothesis of varying Fundamental Natural Constants (FNCs), namely Planck's constant, h, we demonstrate that for the case...
Narrow Line Seyfert 1{NLS1} galaxies, defined by narrow emission lines and small black hole masses, reveal intriguing commonalities with blazars, renowned for their intense and beamed relativistic jet emissions. This paper reviews the evolving unification scheme of NLS1s and blazars. Unification models for AGNs have long been proposed in which orientation f AGN emitting axis to the line of...
Manual classification of diffuse radio sources is tedious due to the large volume of radio images available from radio sky surveys. Upcoming missions will provide even larger datasets of radio images with diffuse radio emission sources thereby making manual classification impractical due to its time-intensive nature.
We present an alternative method for classification that employs machine...
In this study, we have determined the orbital and physical parameters of an eclipsing binary system. We used the presented and calculated parameters in the catalog of eclipsing binaries, which were obtained from the original Kepler field data. Also, we used this catalog to determine the evolution of stars in eclipsing binaries and to determine the orbital and physical properties of these...
This study investigates the dynamics of core-collapse supernovae (SNe), phenomena critical to understanding stellar explosions and the evolution of supernova remnants (SNRs). Leveraging the Sedov-Taylor blast-wave theory—a foundational model for explosion mechanics—we explore shock-wave behavior in supernovae, focusing on energy propagation, velocity and density evolution, and shock...
The MeerKAT telescope, with its exceptional sensitivity and large field of view, has become a powerful instrument for detecting transient sources in the sky. A recent serendipitous discovery of a pulsar in continuum imaging data by (5) and (2) highlights the potential of the MeerKAT telescope for uncovering new astronomical phenomena. Transients can be defined as sources that appear and...
As part of my volunteer work in promoting astronomy in underprivileged areas of the Fes region in Morocco, I conducted a field study to assess students’ awareness and interest in the field of astronomy. The study also focused on evaluating teachers’ understanding of this fascinating domain and their willingness to integrate it into their classrooms. Surveys and interviews were employed to...
In Ethiopia there is no radio astronomy research community. Establishing a radio astronomy research community could not only enhance Ethiopia's scientific capabilities but also foster in the African scientific landscape, international collaborations, attracting funding and expertise to explore the mysteries of the universe. This initiative could also stimulate interest in STEM fields among the...
The Space Science and Geospatial Institute (SSGI) is an Ethiopian government institute that promotes space research and technology. By improving the skills and capabilities of Ethiopian scientists and engineers, developing international cooperation, and boosting public awareness, SSGI contributes significantly to the country's space exploration and research foundation.
SSGI's initiatives...
The sudden increase in the spin frequency of a pulsar, known as a pulsar glitch, provides valuable insights into the dynamics of matter within neutron stars. Glitches are believed to occur because of the transfer of angular momentum within the neutron star’s interior, which accumulates over time due to the motion of its components. If the source of this
transferred momentum is depleted during...
Pulsars, rotating neutron stars with extreme magnetic fields, exhibit a gradual spin-down driven by electromagnetic torque and energy loss. Superimposed on this secular spin-down are glitches—sudden increases in rotational frequency—believed to arise from the interplay between the crustal superfluid and the rigid stellar crust. In this work, we investigate the connection between the spin-down...
Entanglement entropy can be computed directly by describing the density matrix of the associated system. For gravitational systems such as black holes, the radiation entropy has a geometrical construction given by extremal surfaces. However, due to the quantum characteristics of black holes, this surface can be generalised to quantum extremal surfaces. We outline the derivation of...
Understanding the active galactic nuclei (AGN) lifecycle is crucial in unraveling galaxy evolution through feedback processes. However, radio AGN showing recurrent nuclear activity known as restarted sources are relatively rare compared to active ones. Our work reports the radio spectral analysis of a radio galaxy that has long been observed as a classic hybrid source which turns out to show...
The Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) model, a cornerstone of the Lambda Cold Dark Matter (ΛCDM) framework, has long provided a robust explanation for the formation and evolution of cosmic structures, aligning with much of the observational data. At its core lies the cosmological principle, which posits that the universe is homogeneous and isotropic on large scales. However, recent...
Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are bright bursts of radio emission of millisecond duration and extra-galactic origins. What causes them remains a mystery, although there is a long list of theories that aim to explain them. FRBs have only ever been observed at radio wavelengths, which makes it challenging to rule many of the proposed models out. Observing FRBs at wavelengths other than the radio...
The Hydrogen Epoch of Re-ionization Array (HERA) is currently under construction in the Karoo region in South Africa with the goal of observing the birth of the first stars and galaxies, and how these cosmic objects subsequently re-ionize the Intergalactic Medium (IGM) during the Epoch of Re-ionization (EoR). It aims to achieve this by observing the (still undetected) redshifted 21 cm signal...
Three fiber feed integral field units (IFU) is being developed in the SAAO fiber-lab for the Robert Stobie Spectrograph's visible arm and the future red arm. The smaller, 200 micron fibre IFU has 309 x 0.9 arcsec diameter spatial elements covering an elongated hexagonal footprint of 18 x 23 arcsec is now being commissioned. The larger, 300 (400) micron fiber IFU has 21 x 1.35 arcsec (178 x 1.8...
Conventional teaching methods concerning lunar topics typically involve textbook-based direct instruction combined with official news clips, simulated videos, and Moon-themed presentations. However, for students, comprehending the history of space missions and human lunar exploration through these means can often seem abstract. The "Outer Space Classroom in Meteorite Lab" program within...
Emerging trends in gravitational field theories suggest the existence of novel interactions and behaviors that have yet to be observed. However, conventional astrophysical and cosmological observations are insufficient to test these theoretical predictions comprehensively. This limitation highlights the urgent need to design and execute space experiments within the solar system to investigate...
This study aims to develop optimised observational strategies to leverage the African Millimetre Telescope (AMT)'s strategic location in the Southern Hemisphere for spectral line studies of galactic star-forming regions. Using simulations based on IRAM 30m telescope data, it proposes methodologies for targeting prominent molecular clouds and refining observational parameters, such as spectral...
The target star of this research, HD68695, has characteristics of a young star with its age estimated to be about 7.3 million years by Arun et al. (2019). Murphy et al. (2018) observed strong emission in Hβ concluding that HD 68695 did not appear to be a λ-Böotis star and therefore its membership in the class was uncertain. Furthermore, Murphy et al. (2020), and Medupe et al. (2019) using...
Galaxy formation and evolution involve complex physical processes and understanding how galaxies evolve through cosmic time remains a fundamental question in astrophysical research. Star formation (SF), one of the most important processes is essential to the formation and evolution of galaxies. A measure of the rate of star formation, along with other properties of a galaxy such as the stellar...
Few Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs) have been characterized using the occultation method due to their small sizes and the challenges associated with predicting and observing such events. However, the advent of high-precision astrometric data from GAIA and the development of highly sensitive and fast CMOS cameras have significantly increased the success rate of observing these occultations. This...
Mauritania, with its ancient (Archean to Paleoproterozoic) and desertic terrains and gentle relief, has been under-explored in terms of impact structures. To date, two confirmed impact craters, namely Tenoumer and Aouelloul, and four circular structures for which an impact origin has been suggested, are known in Mauritania. This work aims at a systematic exploration of circular structures in...
The fields of robotics and astronomy are rapidly advancing, yet awareness of their educational potential remains limited among many communities. This study investigates the use of online questionnaires to assess and raise awareness of robotics and astronomy education during science events. Online surveys were distributed at various science outreach activities, including workshops and public...
This project aims to create a new legacy MGCLS data product in the form of an MGCLS Hi database which will allow detailed Hi studies with a blind and homogeneous data sample. The data products are currently being staged on the Amazon Webservers and will be accessible soon. Sky areas and depth surveyed by the MeerKAT Galaxy Cluster Legacy Survey (MGCLS) will allow us to detect galaxies in Hi...
In the current theoretic paradigm, high redshift radio halos are expected to be scarce due to inverse Compton energy losses and redshift
dimming, which cause them to be intrinsically faint. This low occurrence fraction is predicted by cosmic ray electron turbulent re-acceleration models. To date, only a handful of radio halos have been detected at redshift z > 0.8. We report the MeerKAT...
Radio halos, diffuse radio emissions spanning hundreds of kiloparsecs to megaparsecs in the cores of galaxy clusters, serve as excellent candidates for studying intracluster medium (ICM) dynamics and particle acceleration mechanisms. These halos, characterized by steep spectral indices (𝛼 < -1) and faint surface brightness, often align with the thermal X-ray emission of clusters. Recent radio...
Galaxy clusters, the largest gravitationally bound structures in the Universe, provide unique insights into both cosmology and astrophysics. Their formation and evolution are intrinsically linked to the underlying cosmological framework, making them critical tools for testing the ΛCDM model and studying the large-scale structure of the Universe. However, direct observational studies of galaxy...
In this paper, we apply the two-component model of γ-ray emission to examine the consistency of the unified scheme of Fanaroff–Riley Type II radio galaxies (FR-IIs) and Flat-Spectrum Radio Quasars (FSRQs) based on the combined data of 220 FSRQs and 46 FR IIs from Fourth Fermi Large Area Telescope (Fermi-LAT) catalogue and 107 Non-Fermi detected FR IIs. Based on the relativistic beaming...
Radio galaxies play an important role in the formation of structure in the Universe. Studying the physical properties of both classical radio galaxies (FRI and FRII), as well as their more morphologically complex counterparts (NATs, WATs, BTs, X-shaped, etc), can help in understanding their specific role and how their local environment affects their properties, and vice versa. The MERGHERS...
The analysis of stellar surface oscillations provides a unique window into their internal structures and allows for a precise determination of their fundamental properties, mainly radius, mass, and age. Among these properties, age estimation remains a cornerstone for understanding stellar evolution and galactic dynamics. However, robust determination of stellar ages poses greater challenges...
The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), 50 kpc from Earth, is a unique nearby galaxy with lower metallicity, more star formation, and a higher number of supernova remnants and high-mass X-ray binaries than the Milky Way per unit mass. As part of the TRAPUM project, we are using MeerKAT’s excellent sensitivity to search for extragalactic radio pulsars in the LMC. With over three times the sensitivity...
Synchrotron filaments in galaxy clusters provide unique insights into the interplay between magnetic fields, relativistic particles, and the intracluster medium (ICM). Using LOFAR 144 MHz and NVSS 1.4 GHz data, we measured flux densities, derived spectral indices, and calculated synchrotron pressures for filaments associated with wide-angle tail (WAT) galaxies. These filaments exhibit steep...
Radio galaxies influence kpc and Mpc scale properties of their surrounding ambient media via jet interactions, and are influenced by the surrounding medium in turn. Using the MeerKAT telescope whose high sensitivity allows us to detect diffuse radio emission, helps us better constrain their morphologies. Ancillary optical and X-ray data provide information about the surroundings of these radio...
Radio galaxies influence kpc and Mpc scale properties of their surrounding ambient media via jet interactions, and are influenced by the surrounding medium in turn. Using the MeerKAT telescope whose high sensitivity allows us to detect diffuse radio emission, helps us better constrain their morphologies. Ancillary optical and X-ray data provide information about the surroundings of these radio...
Our study investigates the role of viscous fluids in cosmological evolution and the formation of large-scale structures in the universe. We address crucial questions about cosmic fluids and their impact on the universe's history by employing advanced theoretical models, high-resolution numerical simulations, and comparisons with contemporary observational data. This research may provide...