Hands-On Astronomy in Poland

I just returned from a week in Poland, the home of Nicolaus Copernicus, composer Frederic Chopin, and a popular set of student-run observatories called Astrobazas (Web site is in Polish, but a Google Translate will give you the idea).

They are equipped with 14″ Meade telescopes, plus a variety of other instruments. The goals of the Astrobaza project are to bring astronomy to students interested in learning more about the science of the stars. The organizers wanted to create modern educational opportunities for the students, provide 14 observatories next to schools throughout the region called Kujawsko-Pomorskie, in central Poland. They achieved their goals and the systems are now operational, with groups of students in each area taking advantage of the chance to do some real astronomy.

The project provides state-of-the art equipment for astronomy and weather observations, computer coding, and other related activities. The activities are woven into school curricula and satisfy the Math, Science, and Technology (MST) standards in the country.

We visited two of these Astrobazas as part of a hosted trip held after the Communicating Astronomy with the Public conference held in Warsaw last week. We were guests of local governments eager to show off what they have in place for their students in the Astrobazas.  At the first stop, located near the town of Torun, the students greeted us on arrival, just as the Sun was setting. They had hoped to have us do some observing, but clouds had moved in. We toured the facilities and then adjourned indoors for some hands-on astronomy activities. They divided us into groups that included at least two or three of the visiting astronomer/PIO group, teachers from the school, and students. Despite our language differences, we all had a wonderful time concocting some unique ways to communicate such astronomy topics as black holes and dust-scattering of light.  After that, we all adjourned to a lovely banquet dinner.

The next day we visited the Astrobaza in Piwnice, where the students set up telescopes equipped with solar filters for sungazing. We had a chance to talk with them, and their teachers before heading off to lunch at a local resort called the Romantic Palace.

I was really impressed with the enthusiasm these students had for astronomy. They are achieving great things, and I have no doubt that more than a few of them will make the stars their life’s work. Throughout the visit, I kept wondering what people in my country (the U.S.) were doing to encourage astronomy learning among students in a manner similar to what the Poles are doing for their children. Is there a network of well-equipped observatories for ALL kids (not just ones who go to wealthy schools or university lab schools) to use to learn the stars? If so, where are they? If not, why not? If you know of places like Astrobaza, let me know in comments.

As I walked through these sites, I kept asking myself, “What better way to introduce kids to the sciences?”  Astronomy IS a gateway science, and the young astronomers we met in Poland last weekend are rushing through that gateway with enthusiasm.