Category Archives: Flagship 1

OAD attends National Astro-Tourism Stakeholder Workshop in South Africa

Members of the OAD team participated in the National Astro-Tourism Broader Stakeholder Workshop held on 2–3 April 2025 in Carnarvon, Northern Cape, South Africa. Hosted by the Department of Tourism and the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, the workshop focused on the implementation of South Africa’s Astro-Tourism Strategy. The two-day event brought together stakeholders […]

First Phase of Women AstroPreneurs Collective Underway in India

The CWAPC Women AstroPreneurs Collective project successfully completed the orientation program for their trainees which included a pre-competency survey with participants. The project aims to integrate first-generation female graduates into the workforce by equipping them with skills needed to produce astronomy products, and foster entrepreneurship among women. Ultimately, the project team aim to empower women […]

Culture, Astronomy, and Community. A conversation with a Social Anthropologist

For the April edition of the Full Moon Mashup series, we had a deeply reflective session on Culture, Astronomy, and Community with Dr. Hanna Nieber, a social anthropologist. Dr Nieber is and Anthropologist from the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology and visited the OAD for 3 weeks. Dr. Nieber, whose ethnographic research explores how […]

Full Moon Mashup Recap: Exploring the Impact of Mega Astronomy Infrastructure on Rural Communities

In March, we hosted another engaging edition of the Full Moon Mashup series, featuring a thought-provoking presentation by Dr. Daniel Mokhohlane. Dr. Mokhohlane, who recently completed his PhD, shared his research on the societal impact of mega astronomy infrastructures—specifically the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) and the Square Kilometre Array (SKA)—on rural communities in South […]

DarkSky International’s Principles for Responsible Astrotourism

As the astrotourism and dark sky tourism sectors grow globally, there is a strong need to advocate for responsible tourism that both protects the environment and prioritises sustainability. Drawing from the unique contexts of night sky tourism and lessons learned from the broader tourism sector, DarkSky International has released a new set of guiding principles […]