A presentation about a project on Astronomy in Timor-Leste given by Carla Natário during the 2012 Astronomy to Inspire and Educate Young Children: EU Universe Awareness Workshop. About the project: On the 6 of June 2012 the planet Venus will cross the solar disc in an extremely rare astronomical only visible in some parts of the globe. Timor-Leste will witness this transit of Venus, that will only happen again in more than 100 years. Universe Awareness (UNAWE) partners are organising several educational activities in Timor-Leste on the occasion of the transit, ranging from teacher training workshops to a public observing event. These activities are targeted to teachers, children, students and the general public and follow the vision of UNAWE: Inspire everyone with our wonderful cosmos.

1. Do you know what this means?
You miss it and you'll have to wait 105 years to see it happen
again!

2. UNAWE Student Ambassador project
Astronomy in Timor-Leste
Celebrating the Transit of Venus 2012

3. Ambassador Project: Astronomy in Timor-Leste - Celebrating the Transit of Venus 2012
Rare
and inspiring event...

4. Ambassador Project: Astronomy in Timor-Leste - Celebrating the Transit of Venus 2012
A project is born. The goals:
1. UNAWE goals: To inspire children with the wonders of the Universe,
making it a great stepping-stone that will trace their interest in science,
help them broad their mind and stimulate a sense of global citizenship and
tolerance.
2. Motivate children to become scientists and technologists of the future.
3. Make a new country part of UNAWE community.
4. Make this project as the kick off event to a serie of astronomy events in
this new country.

5. Ambassador Project: Astronomy in Timor-Leste - Celebrating the Transit of Venus 2012
Team
Supervisor: Pedro Russo
Ainil Abdullah Carla Natário Cindy Gunawan Jaya Ramchandani
PhD Astronomy MSc Research in BA Dutch MSc Astronomy &
Astronomy and Studies Science-Based
UNAWE Science Business
Writing Assistant and UNAWE internship
in Business

6. Ambassador Project: Astronomy in Timor-Leste - Celebrating the Transit of Venus 2012
Where?

7. Ambassador Project: Astronomy in Timor-Leste - Celebrating the Transit of Venus 2012
Timor-Leste

8. Ambassador Project: Astronomy in Timor-Leste - Celebrating the Transit of Venus 2012
Why Timor-Leste?
It is a very recent country (one of the world's youngest!)- Independence in
2002.
It has a lower-middle-income economy and it continues to suffer the after
effects of a decades-long independence struggle against, which damaged
infrastructure and displaced thousands of civilians.
In 2012 the United Nation mission ends, transferring all the control to
Timor-Lest.
UNAWE- Open new horizons to the young and bright children and show
them that they too have the same opportunity and right to enjoy science
and Astronomy as the other children from around the World.
UNAWE- Better understanding of what are the obstacles that developing
countries are facing and how to operate within it.

9. Ambassador Project: Astronomy in Timor-Leste - Celebrating the Transit of Venus 2012
Teacher
Follow up Training
meeting 30 May - 7 June
School Visits
Science Talk at Science
Exhibition Education Fac.
National Univ.
Transit Observation. Night Observ.

10. Ambassador Project: Astronomy in Timor-Leste - Celebrating the Transit of Venus 2012
Support and Funding
Portuguese school Leiden Observatory
Portuguese Ministry of Education
and Science
Portuguese Embassy in LKBF grant
East Timor Media coverage
Media coverage
East Timor Ministry of
Education
Local suport
ASEAN Education section Monash Science Centre Australia
Astronomy Department of ITB CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science

11. Ambassador Project: Astronomy in Timor-Leste - Celebrating the Transit of Venus 2012
Contributions so far:
1. Travel expenses- LKBF Grant
2. Accommodation- Portuguese Embassy
3. Local logistics- Portuguese School, Government,
Indonesian Embassy
4. Educational Resources
-UNAWE
-Astronomy Department of ITB- Telescope
-Astro Book Drive
-Portuguese publishing house Gradiva
-German solar filter company
-Crowdfunding

12. Ambassador Project: Astronomy in Timor-Leste - Celebrating the Transit of Venus 2012
Paper Plate Education. Chuck Bueter Croydon West Primary School
Ruth Bode

13. Ambassador Project: Astronomy in Timor-Leste - Celebrating the Transit of Venus 2012
Type of Quantity Donations
Resources Needed (units) (units)
Telescopes 2 0
+1
Galileoscopes 100 12
Safe Solar 5.000 100
Goggles + 1.000
Solarscopes 100 3
Planispheres 50 4
Earthballs 100 3

14. Ambassador Project: Astronomy in Timor-Leste - Celebrating the Transit of Venus 2012
Action Dec Jan Feb March April May June
Ideas, Proposal writing
Contacting partners
Fund raising
Material preparation
Event detailed planning
Shipping
Implementation
Timeline

15. Ambassador Project: Astronomy in Timor-Leste - Celebrating the Transit of Venus 2012
Timeline Activity
June 31 Set up and preliminary meetings
June 1 Children Day Activities
June 2-3 Teacher training workshops
June 4-5 Visits to schools and University
June 6 Venus Transit Event ,main exhibition, night observations
June 7 Follow up meeting

16. Ambassador Project: Astronomy in Timor-Leste - Celebrating the Transit of Venus 2012
1. Teacher Training
Give a basic knowledge in Astronomy and how to introduce it in
the classroom.
Ideas of how to make a transit observation plan and other
astronomical observations.
Astronomy tools.
Ideas on how to create science clubs.
UNAWE

17. Ambassador Project: Astronomy in Timor-Leste - Celebrating the Transit of Venus 2012
2. Schools and University visits
Introduce astronomy : presentation and children activities.
Children's Day!
Introduction of modern astronomy to University science students.
3. Science Exhibition
Introduce astronomy to public : science panels.
Involving the public to fun and educational activities.

18. Ambassador Project: Astronomy in Timor-Leste - Celebrating the Transit of Venus 2012
4. Transit Observation
Deliver safe solar goggles.
Telescope and binoculars observations, telescope projection in a
large screen.
Web broadcast and activities.
5. Follow up meeting
Local initiatives of future next event.
UNAWE Timor Leste.

19. Ambassador Project: Astronomy in Timor-Leste - Celebrating the Transit of Venus 2012
The project welcomes your suggestion
Promotional and Educational Materials.
Playmobil from EU-Unawe Germany (?)
Classroom educational materials and ideas.
Follow up meeting : ideas for their next activities.
Personal contribution (Crowdfunding).

20. Ambassador Project: Astronomy in Timor-Leste - Celebrating the Transit of Venus 2012
Carla Natário
Thank you!
Visit us at:
http://www.unawe.org/network/national/tl/