Planetariums play a vital role in astronomy education, science communication, and public engagement. This review traces the historical development of planetariums in the Philippines, drawing on government records, institutional publications, legal documents, and historical accounts. The earliest documented modern planetarium was established in 1954 at the Philippine Weather Bureau's...
Eighteen years ago, Astronomy was a foreign concept in Thailand. Then, the National Astronomical Research Institute (NARIT) was founded. Today, Thailand is on the path of becoming world renown research institute, bolstering Southeast Asia's largest optical and radio telescope with robotic telescopes around the world and members of many international collaborations. This level of achievements...
The United Nations has set a global benchmark for tertiary education enrollment by 2030. While the situation has improved over the years, progress is slowing in many nations. The share of women (particularly those with intersectional identities) graduating from these programmes falls below this benchmark, and those from non-Western countries (e.g., Africa and Latin America) also lag...
It is now 101 years since planetariums became key tools in entertaining and educating people of all ages about the wonderful sights of the night sky.
Planetariums are now in use in very many countries; they inspire people of all ages to show an interest in not only astronomy, but science in general. The International Planetarium Society (IPS), the world’s major professional planetarium...
We now live in very challenging times, where mainstream scientific views and methods are being questioned in social media and replaced by unproven and misleading theories to serve commercial and political interests. In the face of anti-science attacks, astronomy, with its universal appeal and scientific outlook, can be used as an effective and powerful medium to educate the people on...
In a world full of prejudice, division, and conflict, astronomy and space science still serve as a reminder to humankind that the Universe is full of wonders and mysteries that make us all awe in unison. One of the goals of the recently established Philippine Society of Space Science and Astronomy Research (PSSAR), Inc. is to keep these fields this way by making them accessible and inclusive...
The importance of Astronomy grows up with new discoveries related not only to Astronomy itself, but also Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geology and many other natural sciences, as well as Computer Science. Astronomy becomes a science providing Big Data from the Universe to enrich our knowledge in many fields. Many interdisciplinary sciences have appeared and developed based and/or related to...
For many people, the night sky begins with a simple act: looking up. Yet as communities develop and artificial light increases, opportunities to experience a truly dark sky are becoming increasingly rare.
This keynote shares the experience of the Philippine Astronomical Society, Inc. (PAS) in using astronomy outreach to build public appreciation for the night sky and encourage its...
Over the past decade, astronomy and astrophysics in Vietnam have grown. While national infrastructure—such as observatories in Nha Trang, Hoa Lac, and ExploraScience Quy Nhon—has laid the foundation for public outreach and data collection, universities are now driving the next phase of growth through academic specialization and infrastructure expansion.
This presentation highlights recent...
Meteorites are among the oldest materials that humanity can physically encounter. Formed during the early history of the Solar System and traveled across space before reaching our planet, these extraterrestrial materials provide a tangible connection between Earth and other celestial bodies. The growing meteorite collection of the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP), as well as the...
