SAASST News (414)
SAASST Organizes a Virtual Observation of the Partial Solar Eclipse
The Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences, and Technology (SAASST) at the University of Sharjah, in cooperation with the UAE Space Agency, organized a virtual observation of the Partial Solar Eclipse on Sunday, June 21st, 2020. A large number of students, researchers, and space sciences enthusiasts witnessed the observation using remote video communication technologies.
Partial Solar Eclipse Observation
The Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences, and Technology (SAASST) at the University of Sharjah is organizing a virtual observation of the Partial Solar Eclipse on Sunday, June 21st, 2020, using remote video communication technologies.
Shawwal 1441 AH Crescent Report for the City of Sharjah
An impossible setting for the crescent to be observed on Friday, May 22, with the naked eye since the Moon is not new yet. The New Moon is at 21:38, which is more than two hours and a half after sunset on Friday. It will also set fifteen minutes before sunset. This simply means that by the time of sunset, the Moon is well below the horizon. This is the same situation for Makka and all Muslim cities east of it.
Ramadhan 1441 AH Crescent Report for the City of Sharjah
The criteria used to decide the first day of any Islamic month vary from country to country. In some countries, in addition to the use of astronomical data, direct observation of the thin lunar crescent through the naked eye or telescope is a necessity. In some other countries, if New Moon happens before sunset and the Moon is five degrees above the western horizon, the next following day is the first day of the Islamic month without the use of direct observation.There are generally no agreed criteria used among the different Islamic countries.
Observed by the Sharjah Lunar Impact Observatory (SLIO) at SAASST
The Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences and Technology (SAASST) at the University of Sharjah reached a new scientific achievement through the detection of the first lunar impact flash observed from the MENA region using the new Sharjah Lunar Impact Observatory (SLIO). This was following four nights of observation spanning 11 hours of work.
SAASST Lunar Impacts Observations
A new program to observe lunar impacts has just started at the Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences, and Technology. Mr. Mohamed Talafha, SAASST observatory specialist along with two University of Sharjah students, Firoz Abdul Aziz Chogle (U19100739) and Arya Pratap Rajawat (U19100855), conducted the first observation on Feb. 28, 2020. SAASST has just installed a new 3-meter dome equipped with a 14-inch Meade telescope along with several sensitive instruments to perform this task.
SAASST Participation in the 11th ESIG Meeeting
The 11th Emirates Space and Innovation Group (ESIG) was held on Feb. 27, 2020, at the Krypto Labs (Masdar City, Abu Dhabi). The meeting is an occasion for UAE Space Agency university research groups to expose their research and update the UAESA on the advance of their funded projects. The Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences, and Technology (SAASST) attended the meeting with a large group of its researchers to showcase their latest results and also to showcase SAASST’s new systems.
The University of Sharjah Honored by the UAE Space Agency for its Contribution to the new UAE Space Law
The UAE Space Agency has announced the details of the new UAE Space Law issued by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The announcement was made during an introductory workshop for the UAE Space Law, organized by the UAE Space Agency and held in Abu Dhabi. Previously, the law was passed by the UAE Cabinet, headed by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, in late 2019.
SAASST New Satellite Tracking Ground Station Operational
The Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences, and Technology has just finished installing a brand new satellite tracking ground station as part of its CubeSat Laboratory program. The ground station is to be used to communicate with the future Sharjah-Sat-1 CubeSat planned to be launched at the end of 2020 or Q1-2021.
Soil – Is it a history or a story of our times?
The Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences and Technology (SAASST) at the University of Sharjah received Dr. Daniel Moraetis from the College of Sciences in a lecture entitled: “Soil: Is It a History or a Story of Our Times?.” The lecture explored several elements related to how humanities dealt with harsh environments on Earth and how they survived.
SAASST Welcomes Students from the Safia Bint Hayy Elementary School (Fujairah)
Stemming from its goal of serving the local community and supporting the scientific and knowledge development of students in the UAE, the Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences, and Technology (SAASST) received several students from the Safia Bint Hayy Elementary School based in Al Fujairah. The students presented a project they worked on that aims to build a habitable Emirati city highly competent in the field of space technology and developing knowledge and scientific research as well as space application.
Wings of Imagination
The Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences and Technology (SAASST) at the University of Sharjah organized a highly informative and engaging lecture under the title “Wings of Imagination” as part of its monthly series of public awareness of space sciences and astronomy lectures held on the third Wednesday of every month. Ms. Salma Subhi, Research Assistant at the Meteorite Center at SAASST, took the attendees on a journey that explored the ancient imaginations of space, the concept of imagination and how it inspired creativity in the astronomy and space field development and applications, as well as how imagination stimulates deep thinking and finding answers to the creation of the vast Universe in which we reside.
SAASST Receives a Delegation from Mexico
The Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences, and Technology (SAASST) received on Wednesday, February 5th, 2020, a delegation from Mexico. Their visit included an introduction to the Academy and the laboratories it houses such as the CubeSat Laboratory, the Meteorite Center, the Space Weather, and Ionosphere Laboratory, the Sharjah Optical Observatory, Radio Astronomy Laboratory, and the High Energy Astrophysics Laboratory, as well as the ongoing research projects including the CubeSat to be launched by the end of 2020, the 40-m Radio Interferometer that includes three 5-meter dishes, and the UAE Meteor Monitoring Network.
Array-Type Radio Telescopes
The Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences and Technology (SAASST) at the University of Sharjah received Dr. Aquib Moin from the Physics Department (United Arab Emirates University) to give two lectures: (1) at SAASST entitled “Array-Type Radio Telescopes, and (2) at the University of Sharjah Campus entitled “Observational Studies of Circinus X-1”. The first lecture explored the different uses of radio interferometers while the second emphasized on the neutron star X-ray binary, Circinus X-1.
Star Formation in the Large Magellanic Cloud
The Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences and Technology (SAASST) at the University of Sharjah received Dr. Naslim Neelamkodan from the Physics Department (United Arab Emirates University) to give two lectures on “Star Formation in the Large Magellanic Cloud,”, one at SAASST on Jan. 18, and the other at the University of Sharjah Campus on Jan. 19, 2020. Dr. Naslim discussed the different stages of star formation for different types of stars with an emphasize on the Large Magellanic Cloud.
SAASST New Library
The Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences, and Technology has opened its new library. This new acquisition is very important to have available for all research assistants the best available books in astronomy, space sciences, and aerospace. Ms. Noora Al-Ameri and Ms. Tarifa Al-Kaabi, both research assistants at the academy, are responsible for setting for the library. Mr. Issam Abu-Jami worked out an excellent system of borrowing books from the library. Presently, the library has more than 200 books. More will be added in the near future. The library will be much needed with the upcoming MSc. in Astronomy and Space Sciences.
Grand Opening of SAASST 40-m Radio Interferometer
His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, President of the University of Sharjah, inaugurated the SAASST 40-m Radio Interferometer on Jan. 14 at the Sharjah Academy of Astronomy, Space Sciences, and Technology.
Exploring the Planets from Space and the Laboratory
The Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences and Technology (SAASST) at the University of Sharjah received Dr. Roland Young from the Physics Department (United Arab Emirates University) to give a lecture on “Exploring the Planets from Space and the Laboratory.” Dr. Roland discussed the different space missions used to explore the planets, especially planet Mars. The UAE “Mars Hope Mission” was explained in detail along with the possibility of building a Martian base in 2117.
More...
SAASST Organizes a Special Observation of the Partial Solar Eclipse
The Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences and Technology (SAASST) at the University of Sharjah organized a special observation of the Partial Solar Eclipse on Thursday, December 26th, 2019, starting at 7:00 am UAE time. This event came in collaboration with the UAE Space Agency. This event is of importance in the endeavor of SAASST to educate the general community about the most important astronomical phenomena and developments in the field of space science and astronomy as well as the UAE space sector.
SAASST Organizes the UAE-Japan Workshop on Planetary Exploration
The Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences and Technology (SAASST) at the University of Sharjah organized the UAE-Japan Workshop on Planetary Exploration, in cooperation with the UAE Space Agency, the Chiba Institute of Technology (CIT), and the Japanese Manned Space Systems (JAMSS). The workshop aims to introduce specialists and amateurs of space sciences and astronomy to the developments and achievements in the UAE and global space sectors, and present some scientific research results and meteorites that were monitored using the UAE Meteor Monitoring Network Towers to monitor meteors in the country.
SAASST 40-m Radio Interferometer Finally Assembled
The Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences, and Technology (SAASST) has now a new instrument: a 40-m radio interferometer, the first of its kind in the world for a modest budget. The whole project started seven months ago with the installation of a one-single Spider-500A 5-meter radio telescope by PrimaLuceLab of Italy in April 2019.
SAASST Attends the 10th ESIG UAE Space Agency Meeting
The Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences, and Technology attended the 10th ESIG meeting organized by the UAE Space Agency on Nov. 28, 2019. The meeting was held at the Sorbonne University in Abu-Dhabi. The SAASST team was composed of Dr. Ilias Fernini (SAASST Deputy General Director), Dr. Antonios Manousakis (UoS/SAASST), Dr. Mubasshir Shaikh (SAASST), Mr. Mohamed Rihan (SAASST Radio Lab), Mr. Ibrahim Al-Sabt (SAASST CubeSat Lab) and Mr. Sahith Madara (SAASSt CubeSat Lab). Dr. Ilias and Mr. Rihan presented the “UAE Meteor Monitoring Network” and the ‘Decametric Radio Telescope” projects, respectively. Both projects are funded by the UAE Space Agency. The meeting was also an occasion to present two ideas from SAASST to promote space sciences (Dr. Antonios) and technology (Mr. Ibrahim) projects.
STK Students Workshop
The Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences, and Technology organized the 2nd STK Workshop on Nov. 27, 2019. The workshop was part of the CubeSat Laboratory program and was attended by SAASST research assistants as well as students from the University of Sharjah. Mr. Diogo Rogrigues, the MENA Director of AGI, presented the workshop. The title of the workshop was “Comms Engineering with STK/Communications”.
SAASST Organizes a Lecture on Detecting Neutrinos Underwater and Under Ice
The Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences, and Technology (SAASST) at the University of Sharjah received Prof. Antoine Kouchner from KM3NeT, a Cubic Kilometre Neutrino Telescope, and professor at the Université Paris 7 Diderot, which is one of the leading French universities located in Paris. The lecture at the university was entitled "Detecting Neutrinos Underwater and Under Ice.” The lecture covered several topics, including the rationale for neutrino astronomy, detection and detection principles, and the most prominent new developments in this field, such as diffuse flows, sources, dark matter, and prospects, including the field of neutrino physics. This was in the presence of a large crowd of faculty members, staff, and students at the University of Sharjah, and astronomy and space sciences enthusiasts.