2025 Archives - IAU Office of Astronomy for Development https://astro4dev.org/category/2025/ Astronomy for a better world! Fri, 30 Jan 2026 15:35:16 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://astro4dev.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/cropped-03_OAD_symbol_colour_2-32x32.jpg 2025 Archives - IAU Office of Astronomy for Development https://astro4dev.org/category/2025/ 32 32 IAU OAD Newsletter #41 October – December 2025 https://astro4dev.org/iau-oad-newsletter-41-october-december-2025/ Fri, 30 Jan 2026 10:50:36 +0000 https://astro4dev.org/?p=30973 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 [...]

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]]> Protecting Dark and Quiet Skies for Science, Society, and Development https://astro4dev.org/protecting-dark-and-quiet-skies-for-science-society-and-development/ Mon, 19 Jan 2026 09:57:15 +0000 https://astro4dev.org/?p=30894 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 [...]

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]]> Looking Up Together at the End of 2025 https://astro4dev.org/looking-up-together-at-the-end-of-2025/ Tue, 06 Jan 2026 08:27:09 +0000 https://astro4dev.org/?p=30748 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. [...]

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]]> Astrolab – Starlight in the University Lab Project: Learning STEM skills by doing https://astro4dev.org/astrolab-starlight-in-the-university-lab-project-learning-stem-skills-by-doing/ Fri, 19 Dec 2025 10:13:23 +0000 https://astro4dev.org/?p=30735 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 [...]

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]]> IAU OAD Partners with the Royal Bafokeng Nation to Advance Community Development through Science https://astro4dev.org/iau-oad-partners-with-royal-bafokeng-nation-for-community-development/ Thu, 18 Dec 2025 07:33:15 +0000 https://astro4dev.org/?p=30721 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 [...]

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]]> How Stargazing is Shaping Mental Health Research https://astro4dev.org/how-stargazing-is-shaping-mental-health-research/ Tue, 09 Dec 2025 10:10:43 +0000 https://astro4dev.org/?p=30711 source: Stellenbosch University As mental health challenges continue to escalate globally, the International Astronomical Union Office of Astronomy for Development (IAU OAD) is spearheading a groundbreaking initiative that leverages the cosmos. By partnering with public health researchers, the OAD is unveiling novel ways in which astronomy experiences can enhance emotional wellbeing, reduce stress, and foster [...]

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]]> Video: Australia’s Cultural Night Sky https://astro4dev.org/video-australias-cultural-night-sky/ Mon, 08 Dec 2025 12:38:35 +0000 https://astro4dev.org/?p=30703 Koya Aboriginal Corporation and Dr John Goldsmith / Celestial Visions have released a film of their project, “Australia’s Cultural Night Sky: Culture, Creativity and Community at Lake Ballard, Western Australia”. The video documents the journey and activities of 12 Aboriginal high-school students, visiting the remote, dark-sky location of Lake Ballard, in the Goldfields region of [...]

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]]> IAU-OAD Team Visits the Kgosana Rakhudu Foundation in Tsitsing, North West https://astro4dev.org/iau-oad-team-visits-the-kgosana-rakhudu-foundation-in-tsitsing-north-west/ Wed, 03 Dec 2025 09:17:33 +0000 https://astro4dev.org/?p=30697 On Tuesday, 25 November 2025, the OAD team travelled to Tsitsing village in the North West Province, South Africa, to visit the Kgosana Rakhudu Foundation. The purpose of the visit was to learn more about the Foundation’s work, share the OAD’s programmes, and explore possible ways to collaborate in the future. On arrival in Tsitsing, [...]

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]]> Looking Beyond 2030: How Science and Innovation Can Shape a Better Future https://astro4dev.org/looking-beyond-2030-how-science-and-innovation-can-shape-a-better-future/ Tue, 02 Dec 2025 11:22:32 +0000 https://astro4dev.org/?p=30691 In a rapidly changing world, science and innovation sit at the heart of how society will navigate the opportunities and challenges ahead. The session “Looking Beyond 2030: The Role of Science and Innovation in Shaping Future Societies” – that took place during Science Forum South Africa 2025 – offered a thought-provoking exploration of what the future [...]

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]]> G20 2025: South Africa’s Leadership and the OAD’s Contributions https://astro4dev.org/g20-2025-south-africas-leadership-and-the-oads-contributions/ Fri, 21 Nov 2025 04:25:38 +0000 https://astro4dev.org/?p=30688 The G20 (Group of Twenty) is a major international forum comprising 19 countries, the European Union and the African Union. Its members represent some of the world’s largest economies, accounting for approximately 85% of global GDP and two-thirds of the world’s population. This year is particularly historic: South Africa is hosting the G20 presidency,  the [...]

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