Training course in astronomy

Head in the stars

Owing to the success of its invitation, the trio formed by CNES-CSG, the French Guiana education authority and the Planète Science association doubled the number of places on its astronomy training course, held from 7 to 10 October 2008, from 20 to 40 students.  The attendees were mainly science teachers.  They had come to learn, then pass on to their pupils, in the context of the International Year of Astronomy, the gift from the sky that astronomy represents.  One teacher of Applied Physics from the Lycée Gaston Monnerville in Kourou shared the views of his colleagues on the genuine motivation of young people in this field.  “There is real enthusiasm to learn more about the stars in the sky, the Universe as a whole.”  This course helped compensate for a lack of practice, even if a few establishments do have some equipment, such as astronomical telescopes.  Faced with this shortage of equipment and opportunities to practise, which is that much greater in the more isolated areas of French Guiana, the participants were shown experiments requiring just the simplest of elements and manipulations.

In charge of the training were three volunteers from the Planète Science association, passionate advocates for their chosen field.  Astronomy puts everyone in their place and gives us a greater awareness of what we are in the Universe.  And because the Universe is so vast the training programme is very full.  To ensure a balance between theory and practice in the basic subjects, Planète Science decided to let the teachers do some of their own research.  They were given time to consider and propose applications for their pupils, based on work that had already been done or by taking it even further.  Planète Science also included time for practical work on photography and observation using telescopes.

 
A real night

Beneath the night skies of French Guiana, which are relatively untouched by light pollution, the trainers were the most astonished.  French Guiana had another trick up its sleeve.  At the beginning of the training course they were able to see the Pole Star which indicates due North, as well as the Magellanic Clouds, southern galaxies that are never visible from mainland France.  Filled with wonder, they hoped that the inhabitants of French Guiana realised how lucky they were to be able to observe the skies of both hemispheres. 

After four days of ‘reactive’ exchanges, they were optimistic that these teachers would become amateur astronomers themselves, observing the skies not just with their pupils but also with their friends and even the general public.  After all, the sky belongs to everyone, it doesn’t cost anything, and all we need to do is make the most of it, take an interest and motivate others.

A young Maths teacher from the College in Maripasoula was literally absorbed by the training. “Concerning the solar system, we cover it more or less during our studies.  But when you’re young it seems complicated and you can’t really be bothered with it.  But then when you see all this, you become aware that there is another world outside our own.  Observing the Moon and realising that what we can see with the naked eye is much further away in reality, seeing its structure and craters in greater detail … Astronomy is a fantastic thing that could inspire the children of Maripasoula to dream, so yes, why not create an astronomy club.  If I get some support I should really like to take the initiative!”