Educational astronomy project to tour Morocco in November

A new educational initiative called «Les Étoiles du Petit Prince» (The Little Prince's Stars) will tour Morocco from November 7-17, 2024, bringing astronomy education to primary and secondary schools in the country's southern and eastern regions.

According to a press release from the Center for Space and Habitability at the University of Bern and Cadi Ayyad University of Marrakech, the project will utilize two light aircraft—a Cessna 172 RG and a Beechcraft Bonanza—to visit eight cities, including Tangier, Essaouira, Agadir, Tan-Tan, Laayoune, Tarfaya, Ouarzazate, and Zagora.

The program features a mobile planetarium and portable telescopes, offering students hands-on experience with solar and lunar observation. A team of pilots, astronomers, and science communicators from Morocco, France, and Switzerland will lead the initiative.

The project, supported by SpaceBus Maroc and the International Astronomical Union's National Outreach Coordinators in Morocco, aims to promote scientific careers, particularly among young girls. It also pays tribute to the Aéropostale route once flown by Saint-Exupéry while focusing on preserving dark skies and fostering academic exchanges between Morocco and Switzerland.