Astro-projects for students of rural areas in Nepal

Nepal is a beautiful country with clear skies at high altitude, providing wonderful opportunities for stargazing. However, access to primary education remains a problem in many rural communities, making astronomy a distant prospect. Additionally, astronomy makes up 10% of the scientific curriculum’s content in secondary and much less at the higher secondary level. Realizing this, Pokhara Astronomical Society(PAS) was established in 2012 with a focus on using astronomy to advance high-quality and motivational education for students. With the best resources, communication skills, and visualization tools, we generate interest among students in distant schools. Introducing the various astronomical kits like sundial, clinometer, star wheel, solar motion, and star clock help them grasp the basic concept of astronomy. Astronomical kits expose students to the fascinating world of telescope operation and night sky observation, sparking their curiosity and transforming how they view the Universe. Using computers and mobile software such as Stellarium and star charts greatly enhance the interactivity of the class. Students are encouraged to engage in small-scale projects utilizing data from virtual observatories like Salsa J and SOHO. Similarly, hands-on activities such as building refractive telescopes, launching water rockets, and creating constellation models motivate students to explore both astronomy and STEM.

Opportunities for students to understand the fundamentals along with teacher training programs are beneficial in promoting space science education. So, using its volunteers’ knowledge and research, the PAS will continue to promote astronomy through different initiatives supporting the ongoing advocacy for the inclusion of astronomy in the curriculum.