With the aim of disseminating astronomy in areas where this science is not commonly talked about, and thanks to the “Astroexpeditions” initiative of the National Astronomy Outreach Committee (NOC Chile) to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), a group of astronomers visited various places in the Lakes Region, to carry out outreach activities for various audiences.
In the context of this activity, the Las Campanas Observatory visited Quellón, south of Chiloé Island (Chile). The team, formed by Carol Rojas (LCO) and Luis Roldon (NOC Chile) visited nine educational and public establishments, carrying out 12 events in which approximately 650 people participated. All of them were given glasses to safely observe the solar eclipse that was seen in the area on October 2.
One of the participants in these events was Daniela Garrido, a fourth-grade student at the Liceo Bicentenario Pablo Freire in Quellón. She found the activities very interesting since she had not participated in anything similar before. “It was a very good first time. We learned about the formation of planets, the distances between them, what eclipses are and how they occur, as well as how lucky we are on this planet to be able to see total solar eclipses,” she said.
For the Mayor of Quellón, Cristian Ojeda, these activities were relevant because there are many young people in the area interested in science, and it is important that all their questions are answered correctly by experts in the field. “We are very happy that you have come to perform astronomy science outreach. We thank you because it invites us to continue dreaming and learning,” he added.
According to Robinson Vargas, in charge of the Quellón Public Library, these activities delivered knowledge in an understandable way for all audiences. “We are very pleased that they participated in the commune of Quellón, as I am pleased with the great enthusiasm of young people and children in the area for the activities.” One of these children was Vicente Vera, from the Mon Mapu School, who pointed out that he found the activity very interesting because he was afraid that eclipses represented something negative, but thanks to the conversation with the astronomers he understood that he only had to be careful with his eyesight and that he could enjoy it without any problems.
The team of researchers who traveled to the Los Lagos region are: María Fernanda Durán from the National Radio Astronomy Observatory of USA, Patricio Rojo and Alejandra Meza from the Universidad de Chile, Julio Carballo-Bello from the Universidad de Tarapacá and former president of the Chilean Astronomy Society, Yara Jaffé, Sofía Saavedra Odette Toloza, Matthias Schreiber from the Universidad Técnica Federico Santa Maria, Pamela Paredes and Carla Fuentes from the Dedoscopio initiative, Carol Rojas from the Las Campanas Observatory, Catalina Zamora from the Universidad de Valparaíso, and astronomers Sebastián Ramírez and Luis Rondón.