A Night with the Stars

Many children are fascinated by space, the wonders of the galaxy and the mystery of the stars. They have often peered into the night sky and wondered what lay beyond those beautiful stars and whether they would ever have a chance to navigate the night sky.

                                                                                     Photo credit : NASA

The topic of Space generates a sheer sense of amazement in classrooms and on Monday 30th April, 2018 Gye Nyame class had a rare opportunity to satisfy this curiousity, appreciate the night sky and consolidate their study of outer space. This was done by gazing up at the moon under the tutelage of a parent, and space enthusiast, Mr. José Valenzuela.

The event was scheduled to coincide with the sighting of the full moon and was contingent on a clear night sky. Children had to dress up in jeans, long-sleeve shirts and apply mosquito repellent before they were dropped off in MKV House 49. Alas, the night was quite cloudy so we started indoors in the hope that the sky would clear sooner.

Our host gave us a brief talk on space and the science behind telescopes, crucial companions for any deep sky viewing and observation. He showed us a video on How the Universe is Way Bigger Than You Think and it. It was truly humbling to know that the earth is nothing but a speck in the universe. Every time the video zoomed out, our minds were blown more and more.

By a dint of good luck and perseverance, the night sky cleared briefly and we were led out into the backyard of the house to satisfy our rather heightened curiosity. We tried our hands at the telescope to look up and saw the moon in all its glory with Jupiter just behind it. We also used the Sky View App on Mr. Valenzuela’s mobile phone to see constellations such as Leo, Virgo, Sagittarius, Cancer, Jupiter and the Southern Cross.

Unfortunately, the sky became cloudy once again and all too soon, our stargazing adventure came to an end. We are grateful to all parents who contributed in diverse ways towards a successful night with the stars. Special thank you goes to Mr. & Mrs. Valenzuela for graciously welcoming us into your home and sharing your love of space with us.