Category Archives: 2025

IAU OAD Newsletter #41 October – December 2025

The IAU OAD has published its latest newsletter for the October to December 2025 period. Highlights in the newsletter: IAU Offers Grants to Drive Sustainable Development through Astronomy Under the Southern Skies: How stargazing is shaping mental health research in South Africa Traditional leadership office and the IAU-OAD sign a memorandum of understanding Upcoming events […]

Protecting Dark and Quiet Skies for Science, Society, and Development

From 8-12 December 2025, Dr Mdhluli participated in the Dark and Quiet Skies for Science and Society workshop hosted by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the SKA Observatory in Vienna. The workshop brought together international stakeholders from science, policy, development, and civil society to explore how dark and quiet skies […]

Looking Up Together at the End of 2025

By Dominic Vertue As 2025 came to a close, we had the opportunity to pause and reflect together under one of the most beautiful night sky events of the year. On 13 December, the IAU Office of Astronomy for Development, in collaboration with the IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach, and astronomer and mindfulness practitioner, Dr. […]

Astrolab – Starlight in the University Lab Project: Learning STEM skills by doing

This article was originally published by the American Physical Society in the December 2025 issue of the African Physics Newsletter and is shared with the permission of APS. The AstroLab (Starlight in the University Lab) project is an annual training workshop tailored toward undergraduate students in introductory astronomy courses. It is an inquiry-based astronomy lab […]

IAU OAD Partners with the Royal Bafokeng Nation to Advance Community Development through Science

PRESS RELEASE Royal Bafokeng Nation and IAU Office of Astronomy for Development Sign a Memorandum of Understanding to Advance Community Development Through Science The International Astronomical Union’s Office of Astronomy for Development (IAU–OAD) and the Office of Kgosana Dr Koketso Rakhudu have formalised a partnership aimed at leveraging astronomy to drive socio-economic transformation within the […]