Sky's Up Global Astronomy Magazine Volume II (April 2021) | Page 37

COURTESY OF HAAC
Above , an experiment to determine Earth ’ s circumference is demonstrated at a club event . Below , a child participates in a club event .
Astronomy Clubs and Bringing Astronomy to a Broader Public ”). Saigon Astrokids ( SAK ), a social project run by Ho Chi Minh Astronomical Association and Ho Chi Minh City Amateur Astronomy Club ( HAAC ), aims to utilize astronomy and its starry stories to inspire Vietnamese children , specifically orphaned youths . Our vision is to build up young generations with love , skills , and career passion for astronomy . We have seen the increasing need for astronomy outreach and education for children and pupils . Together with other managing members of HAAC , I founded SAK with the hope that it could ease this high demand from families and schools , and create a playground as well as a carefully planned training course for kids under 13 years old to discover themselves . Therefore , from 2017 to now , lots of courses , wellprepared observations and astro-camps with telescopes had been designed to connect our kids with meteor showers , eclipses , moon and stars . Given the context of Vietnam and its low-level status of astronomy development , SAK has become more motivated to carry out the best plans and activities possible , to look for as much resources and equipment as possible , and looking outward to practitioners and researchers worldwide is one way to narrow the gap between our homeland and the rest of the world . n n n Dang Tuan Duy ( Mr .) Ho Chi Minh City Physical Society - Ho Chi Minh City Astronomical Association Chairman- Ho Chi Minh City Amateur Astronomy Club ( HAAC ). National Coordinator- Astronomers Without Borders ( AWB )
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