The Cafe Sci Dubai Astronomy Group aims to spread a sense of wonder and awe about the vastness of the universe and about the mysteries of space. Through stargazing activities, workshops, telescopic viewing, TEDx talks, exhibitions, conferences, quizzes, and camping trips, the group works on making astronomy fun and on creating awareness about the importance of taking a cosmic perspective. 

 

The lead astronomers are Rohan Roberts and Raya Bidshahri who have several years' experience promoting astronomy in schools, conferences, science festivals and corporate events in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. They are regular guests on radio shows and their work has been covered extensively by the local press.

 

The Cafe Sci Dubai Astronomy Group is an affiliated member of Astronomers Without Borders, a global organisation that fosters understanding and goodwill across national and cultural boundaries by creating relationships through the universal appeal of astronomy.

 

Night Sky Highlights:

Meteor Showers, Planetary Oppositions, Sunspots, Messier Objects, Eclipses,  Constellations, Top 10 brightest stars, Planetary Transits, and Comets. 

 

Main telescope:

Celestron CPC 1100 StarBright XLT GPS Schmidt-Cassegrain 2800mm Telescope with fully computerized dual fork arm altazimuth mount. (NexStar computer control technology; GPS alignment; 280 mm aperture, 2800 mm focal length)

 

Secondary telescope:

Celestron 21061 AstroMaster 70AZ Refractor Telescope (Optical Lens Diameter 2.6" 70mm)

 

Primary Binoculars:

Yukon Advanced Optics Newtonian Reflector Binoculars (50mm objective lens, 30x magnification,  32m@1,000m field of view). 

 

Starwalk Stargazing smartphone app:

Interactive astro guide to the night sky, for exploration of over 200, 000 celestial bodies with extensive information about stars, constellations, and satellites. 

 

For more details, contact: 

Lara Matossian

SciFest Dubai™

Founder & CEO 

lara.matossian@scifestdubai.com