National Astronomy Week 2020

27th National Astronomy Week
Feb 16 - 22

Theme: A New Decade of Opportunities in Philippine Astronomy

Updated: Feb 24 11:44

Pre-NAW Activities
09	10 Free Telescope Viewing Venue: PAGASA Astronomical Observatory, UPD Organizers: UP AstroSoc	11 Poster Making Contest Organizers:MSU-IIT CED Location: CED MSU-IIT	12	13 Astronomy Quiz Bowl & Film Showing Organizers:MSU-IIT CED Location: CED Amphitheatre #LookUp: Skywatching Organizers: IAU Astronomical Society Location: Sacred Heart School, Ateneo de Cebu	14 Lecture Series Organizers:MSU-IIT CED Free Solar Viewing Organizers:GAS Location: DLSAU Grounds	15 Astro Camp Organizers:MSU-IIT CED Astro Contests Organizers: PAS Location: St. Paul University Manila
Official NAW Activities
16 Free Telescope Viewing Organizers: ALP Location: SM Mall of Asia Free Planetarium Show Organizers: PAGASA Location: PAGASA Science Garden Free Stargazing Organizers: PAGASA Location: PAGASA Observatory	17 Free Planetarium Show Organizers: PAGASA Location: PAGASA Science Garden Free Stargazing Organizers: PAGASA Location: PAGASA Observatory	18 Free Planetarium Show Organizers: PAGASA Location: PAGASA Science Garden Free Stargazing Organizers: PAGASA Location: PAGASA Observatory	19 Ephemeris Deadline Organizers: UP AstroSoc Free Planetarium Show Organizers: PAGASA Location: PAGASA Science Garden Free Stargazing Organizers: PAGASA Location: PAGASA Observatory Lecture Series Organizers: UPB Astonomy Society Location: UP Baguio	20 Postponed Seminar/Workshop on Astronomy for Public Science Teachers Organizers: PAGASA Location: Baguio City Postponed Free Planetarium Show Organizers: PAGASA Location: Baguio City Free Planetarium Show Organizers: PAGASA Location: PAGASA Science Garden Free Stargazing Organizers: PAGASA Location: PAGASA Observatory Lecture Series Organizers: UPB Astonomy Society Location: UP Baguio	21 Postponed Star Party Contest for HS Organizers: PAGASA Location: Baguio City Postponed to March 13 Ad Astra 2020 Organizers: Ateneo LeaPs in partnership with PAS Location: Bellarmine Field, AdMU Postponed Free Planetarium Show Organizers: PAGASA Location: Baguio City Free Planetarium Show Organizers: PAGASA Location: PAGASA Science Garden Free Stargazing Organizers: PAGASA Location: PAGASA Observatory	22 Free Telescope Viewing Organizers: ALP Location: SM Mall of Asia Postponed to March 7 UP AstroSoc Culminating Activities Venue: UP Diliman Organizers: UP AstroSoc Journalism Workshop, & Earth and Space Symposium Organizers: BSYA & PAS Location: San Beda University Free Planetarium Show Organizers: PAGASA Location: PAGASA Science Garden Free Stargazing Organizers: PAGASA Location: PAGASA Observatory
Post-NAW Activities
23	24	25	26	27	28 AstroFest 2020 Venue: Old CEA Bldg, BPSU Organizers: BPSU AstroSoc Star Trails (Deadline of Submissions) Organizers: UP AstroSoc	29

National Astronomy Convention

In line with the National Astronomy Week, the Rizal Technological University held a National Astronomy Convention with the theme "Enticing Filipinos Through Visions of Astronomical Progress"

RTU President, Dr. Jesus Rodrigo F. Torres

Keynote address by Dr. Catherine Castaneda, Director IV - CHED NCR

Plenary Speaker 1: Solar Observation by Dr. Jett Aguilar, Vice President of the Astronomical League of the Philippines

Plenary Speaker 2: Stellar and Planetary Atmosphere by Michael Bala, Weather Specialist 1 RDTD PAGASA

Plenary Speaker 3: Planetary Geology by Erika Valdueza, Msc Geomatics Engineering

Plenary Speaker 4: Solar Observation workshop by Norman Marigza, Head of the RTU-Solar Observation Program

Plenary Speaker 5: Gravitational Microlensing by Dr. Reinabelle Reyes, PhD, KICP Fellow in Princeton University

Plenary Speaker 6: Binary Stars by Dr. Thijs Kouwenhoven, PhD, Research Professor at Kavli Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics at Peking University

Plenary Speaker 7: Image Acquisition and Processing by Mr. Christopher Go, discoverer of Red Spot Jr

Plenary Speaker 8: Space Weather by Professor Emanuel Sungging, Researcher at Lapan, Pusan Sains Antariksa, Indonesia

Plenary Speaker 9: Active Galactic Nuclei by Dr. Dading Nugroho PhD, Lecturer and Trainer for the Indonesia Astronomy Olympiad National Team

NAW Closing Ceremonies

Dr. Jett Aguilar gives a talk on Solar Imaging

Christopher Go shares the secrets of planetary imaging

From left: Cutting edge representative, Christopher Lu, Ruby dela Cruz, Norman Marigza, John Cabrera, Christopher Go, Dr. Jett Aguilar, Pauline Divinagracia, James Ty, Dr. Armando Lee, Andrew Chan

RTU AstroSoc

John Ray Cabrera talks about dark matter and dark energy

RTU AstroSoc with ALP

My talk on threats we face from the universe

Astrophysicist Dr. Reinabelle Reyes listening to the talks

ALPers in a wacky shot

RTU Pre-NAW Closing

The pre-NAW activities of RTU were graced by two filipino astrophysicists: Reinabelle Reyes during the opening; and Rogel Mari Sese during the closing.

The first talk for that day was given by John Lequiron, a 3rd year BS AstroTech student, on Philippine Astronomy. He was then followed by Dr. Rogel Mari "Romar" Sese.

Dr. Rogel Mari Sese is the designated focal person in the Philippine Space Science Education Program. He gave a talk during regarding the development of astronomical research and education in the Philippines. In his talk he discussed the possible areas for research opportunities to be done in the country:

• Optical
• Radio
• Computational Astrophysics (Modeling and Simulations)
• Archive Data-Mining and Analysis
• Collaborations

From left: Dept. Head of RTU's Dept of Earth and Space Sciences Ms. Ruby dela Cruz, RTU-Astrosoc president Pauline Divinagracia, Dr. Rogel Mari Sese. (Image grabbed from P. Divinagracia)

RTU Pre-NAW Lecture Series

February 14, 2011
As part of the pre-NAW celebrations of Rizal Technological University's Department of Earth and Space Sciences, the RTU Astrosoc conducted a lecture series.

The first lecture was conducted by Miss Girlie Cortez, a 3rd year BS AstroTech student of RTU. Her talk was entitled "The Anatomy of a Comet". This was her very first talk, and despite being nervous, her content was good.

The second lecture was conducted by our very own filipina astrophysicist (a celebrity to the Filipino astronomy community :D), Dr. Reinabelle Reyes from the Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics at the University of Chicago. She is currently working on her post-doc at the University of Chicago where she is studying galaxy formation. Her talk was entitled "The Birth and Death of the Milky Way," a talk she will be giving also in other places such as the recently opened Mind Museum in Taguig. During her talk she focused on three questions which served as a guide in identifying how our own milky way came to be: 'What are we? (Where are we?)'; 'Where did we come from?'; 'Where are we going?'. After her talk there was an open forum where several questions were raised by an interested crowd which Reinabelle generously addressed.

Dr. Reinabelle Reyes with Dr. Jesus Torres, president of RTU, after her talk.

Following after was a thesis deliberation by the 4th year BS Astro Tech students [Pauline Pearl Divinagracia, Maria Angela Lequiron, & Miguel Artificio]. Their thesis was entitled the Development of Astronomy Instrumentation in the Philippines. They pointed out the different astronomical equipments that are present in the Philippines.

After the program ended, Dr. Reinabelle Reyes graced the RTU students with a photo-op and took some time to answer more questions.

From left: Engr. Tangco, Dr. Reinabelle Reyes, Lordnico Mendoza, Ryan Guido, Ruby Ann dela Cruz, Ma. Angela Lequiron, Pauline Pearl Divinagracia, Frank Kelvin Martinez

NAW-PAC 2012

Here are some of the activites for the National Astronomy Week - Philippine Astronomy Congress for the year 2012 in line with ALP and RTU:

RTU:
Lecture: "The Birth and Death of the Milky Way" by Reinabelle P. Reyes, Ph.D. from Princeton University.
February 14, 2012

National Museum Planetarium:
Opening Ceremony. 19 Feb 2012
Film showing: "Doomsday 2012: End of Days"
Planetarium show: opening of "Starry Starry Nights"
Lectures:
"A Guide to knowing the truth about 2012 End of Days Scenario" Dr. Armando Lee
"Messier Observing Strategies" Peter Tubalinal
"Sky Observations with Celestron SkyScout" Christopher Lee

To be followed by public viewing at Rajah Solayman Park



Astrocamp/MOA:
24 Feb 2012. Free Public Viewing.


RTU:
Closing Ceremony. 25 Feb 2012.
Lectures:
"Dark Matter, Dark Energy and the Fate of the Universe" John Ray Cabrera
"White Light & H-alpha Solar Imaging" Dr. Jett Aguilar
"Tips and Secrets of Planetary Imaging" Christopher Go
"The State of Philippine Astronomy" Dr. Jesus Torres

alternate lecture: "When the Universe Attacks" Reuel Norman Marigza, Jr.

To be followed by Free Public Viewing
at RTU Quadrangle