Society for Popular Astronomy Free Telescopes for Schools

The Society for Popular Astronomy (SPA) has up to 1000 telescopes to award to secondary schools, to be used by pupils aged between 11 and 14.   The telescopes - 70mm refractors - are being made available by the SPA thanks to funding from the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).

The free telescope is a high quality 70mm refractor, and comes with a DVD (funded by the Royal Astronomical Society) showing how to use the telescope, what to look at, and much more.

This project is part of the International Year of Astronomy (IYA2009) celebrating 400 years since Galileo first used a telescope to look at the Moon, and 40 years since the first Moon landing.

Secondary schools in the UK are eligible to apply for a telescope, simply fill in the form and describe to the SPA (in less than 500 words) what the class will do with the telescope. The SPA has enlarged its website, with a new moonwatch area.

This has details of how to apply and the application form, notes, memorandum of gift form, safety information.

The SPA is now in a position to receive formal applications, and applications close on 31 December 2008. The telescopes will be sent out at the end of January 2009, so that schools have time to prepare for Spring MoonWatch at the end of March 2009.

Please visit www.popastro.com/moonwatch and follow the links to the Schools Telescope page for more information.  For convenience the form and other details are available to download from this page from the column on the right.

If you require any further information please email iya2009@popastro.com