Astronomy columnist and contributing editor Stephen James O’Meara spent the past few days in Panama as the guest of the U.S. Embassy on a Speakers Grant to attend the 1st Congress of Panama Amateur Astronomy 2011. He was kind enough to share Panama’s growing astronomy enthusiasm with our readers:
After the 1st Congress of Panama Amateur Astronomy 2011, Astronomy Contributing Editor Stephen James O'Meara (far right) and other guests went outside to view the Moon, Jupiter, Uranus, and some deep-sky objects through a dozen telescopes owned by APAA members. Louis Taylor photo
I arrived in Panama January 13 and was met by Alison Brown of the Cultural Affairs office and taken to my base at the Marriott hotel. The next morning, I joined Alison and Shaleen White, cultural affairs specialist, and had a wonderful interview with Tamara Del Moral of the science and technology section of La Prensa newspaper.
Tamara’s insightful questions reflected the desire for more interest in the sciences, especially astronomy, now that the Panamanian Amateur Astronomy Association (APAA) has received the gift of an observatory telescope, the facility of which is under construction. Tamara recognized how amateurs can contribute to the science of astronomy now that technology makes it easier than ever for anyone to make a discovery.
I then had an interview with another newspaper, and the questions asked reflected more the aesthetic beauty of the sky and our relationship with it.
Next, I rode in the embassy car to the Miraflores locks at the Panama Canal, where I lunched with Luis Velasquez and Tony Earle of the APAA. They told me of the club’s goal to buy a trailer equipped with telescopes to use as a mobile unit to take outside the city. They also would like to supplement this with a planetarium that will be available to schools nationwide.
Friday night, I attended a cocktail reception at AstroPanama, the first telescope store and showroom in the country. It is the brainchild of Ivan Jaen, APAA member and past president. Some 50 astronomy enthusiasts, as well as Alison Brown and Panamanian Erika Podest of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), showed up for the gala event. This gathering allowed APAA members a chance to talk in private with Erika and me before the 1st Congress of Panama Amateur Astronomy 2011, which was open to the public.
The club has some 200 members (about 25 of whom are extremely active). The night was clear, so Ivan brought out a telescope, and we got views of Jupiter and the Orion Nebula (M42). What’s nice about Ivan’s enterprise is that anyone in Panama who buys a scope gets personal attention at the person’s home setting up the telescope and getting oriented to the sky. Ivan dreams of hosting a Central American version of the Northeast Astronomy Forum (NEAF) some day. Anyone interested in contacting Ivan can visit his website: AstroPanama.com.
The Congress Saturday exceeded all expectations. It was held at the City of Knowledge Convention Center in Clayton. The expected turnout was 150 to 200 people, but instead more than 300 showed. It was standing room only. The 300 guests included 25 students whose teacher drove them 4 hours from the far northern countryside near the Costa Rican border to attend! It was invigorating to see such raw enthusiasm.
Tony Earle of the APAA talked about exotic stars while JPL’s Erika Podest took us on a tour of the solar system with NASA spacecraft images. She ended by zeroing in on Earth using satellite data to show humanity’s effect on the globe, including population growth, deforestation, and El Niño effects, among others. Finally, I gave my “Trials & Tribulations” talk, which helped inspire guests into viewing the heavens. All of the talks were met with enthusiastic responses. Afterward, the guests enjoyed views of the Moon, Jupiter, Uranus, and some deep-sky objects through a dozen telescopes owned by APAA members. I leave the country totally inspired!
Thanks, Steve!