Astronomy Education Activities Conducted at Mount Meru Astronomical Observatory in Tanzania
Published: 8th October 2026 09:00 (UTC)
Mount Meru Astronomical Observatory (MMAO) recently hosted a series of astronomy education activities involving secondary school students and teachers. Matthias Pfragner from Austria, a member of the Styrian Astronomical Association, shared his experience in astronomy observation, education, and public outreach through school sessions and a teacher training workshop. The activities included interactive astronomy discussions, practical demonstrations, and hands-on classroom activities designed to help teachers introduce astronomy concepts in physics and geography lessons. Students from Dageno Secondary School also visited MMAO, where they learned about the observatory and its telescope and engaged in an inspiring question-and-answer session about the Solar System and life beyond Earth.
At Nshupu Secondary School, Matthias served as Guest of Honour during the school’s end-of-year ceremony, where he presented certificates to students and interacted with them through an engaging astronomy question-and-answer session. The activities highlighted the growing interest in astronomy among Tanzanian students and provided teachers with practical ideas for bringing astronomy into the classroom.
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Contacts
Elineema Nassari Mr.Team Chair, NAEC Team - The United Republic of Tanzania
Mount Meru Astronomical Observatory
egmnassariatgmail.com
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Caption: At Nshupu Secondary School, the end-of-school-year ceremony became a memorable celebration of learning, achievement, and astronomy. Matthias from Austria was invited as the Guest of Honour and had the opportunity to present participation certificates to Form Four students, while one student was also recognized for success in a national competition. The ceremony included an engaging question-and-answer session, where students showed great curiosity by asking questions about life beyond Earth, other planets, and what would happen if Earth stopped spinning. The event highlighted the students’ growing interest in astronomy and their enthusiasm for learning beyond the classroom, creating an inspiring moment for both students and teachers.
Credit: Elineema Nassari
File: image 2.78 MB
Caption: Teacher training workshop was held at the Mount Meru Astronomical Observatory (MMAO) to strengthen secondary school teachers’ knowledge and confidence in integrating astronomy into geography and physics lessons. The workshop revealed that many teachers had limited background in astronomy and often skipped astronomy-related topics because of a lack of confidence and teaching resources. The morning session introduced the basic concepts of astronomy, while the afternoon focused on simple, practical classroom activities, including using a football and tennis ball to model the Earth and Moon, a one-metre paper ruler and stickers to demonstrate the scale of the Solar System, and Austrian chocolate snails to represent the Milky Way and the position of our Solar System within it. The Solar System modelling activity generated lively discussions and encouraged teachers to explore creative ways of teaching astronomy. The workshop concluded with a collection of astronomical images, leaving participants with new ideas, practical activities, and greater enthusiasm for bringing astronomy into their classrooms.
File: image 2.47 MB
