Global Astronomy Survey: Nicaragua

First Submission: Humberto Garcia Montano [see human resources section] 22 April 2009

SPoC Approved : No

1. Professional (Research) Astronomy:

(i) Number of universities offering Astronomy (and their names)

 UNAN-Managua (National University Autonomous of Nicaragua) has a

profile on Astrophysics on the career of Physics.

(ii) Number of universities offering Physics (and their names)

1. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua (UNAN-Managua)

(National University Autonomous of Nicaragua)

(iii) Number of academics who have been trained in Astronomy (ideally with their

names and levels of qualification)

1. MSc. Javier Picgrado Ramírez. Coordinator of the Astrophysics Area.

2. MSc. Ligia Areas Sabala. Master on Astronomy in Astronomical

Observatory of Suyapa, Honduras. 

3. Lic. Humberto Alfonso García Montano. Thesis of Graduation in

Astrophysics and Specialist in Instrumentation.

4. Lic. Marcel Chow Martínez. Thesis of Graduation in Astrophysics.

(iv) Number of astronomical facilities (observatories, telescopes, etc) and as much detail

about each as possible (websites/contact details)

1. Observatorio Astronomico de la UNAN-Managua

(www.unan.edu.ni/oaunan/oaunan.php) Astronomical Observatory of 

UNAN-Managua  to own this equipment: one MEADE LX 90, Camera

CCD SBIG ST-237 A, Deep  Sky Camera MEADE DSI II, Set of filters and

two computers with computer programs like LINUX with IRAF. 

(v) Self evaluation (according to the different phases above, how would you rate your

country in terms of Professional Astronomy? Please include any other relevant

information to motivate your choice.)

We are beginning to develop this area in our country, reason why there are

only a masters in astrophysics and special ones in astronomical instruments.

2. Public Understanding of Astronomy:

i. What governmental astronomy/science outreach programmes for the public take

place (co-ordinated either by governmenit degoverpartments or national

facilities).

 Actually we don’t have an official governmental program but exist

connections with Nicaraguan Council of Science and Technology

(CONICYT) and UNESCO. In fact they are supporting activities at

International year of Astronomy Astronomical Organizations connected are

Astronomical Observatory of UNAN-Managua, ASTRONIC and ANASA.  

ii. What non-governmental astronomy/science outreach programmes for the public

take place (NGO activities or international programmes that your country is

involved in).

There is no NGO that this developing programs of astronomy. At the

moment this working at professional level and investigations the

Astronomical Observatory of the UNAN-MANAGUA and in the area of

spreading two associations that are: Asociación Nicaraguense de

Astrónomos Aficionados (ANASA) and Asociación Científica de

Astrónomos y Astrofísicos Nicaraguenses (ASTRONIC) 

iii. Comment on the presence of astronomy in the media (TV, radio, newspapers). Is

it very prominent? Are there specific programmes on astronomy? Is the media

generally willing to publish news on astronomy?

It doesn’t exist any program in the media (TV, radio, newspapers) but when

occur Astronomical event coverage by some media of communication.

iv. Comment on the presence of astronomy/science in the general culture of the

people. Are there any specific challenges or setbacks? Is astronomy a welcome

subject of conversation?

Astronomy catches acceptance in certain levels of education and public in

general, in fact when we have activities about Astronomy, some people come

to the activities but they don’t have a culture on Astronomy. Media has

disinformation about Astronomy. There are many challenges among them

to explain the knowledge of basic of astronomy, the life in other worlds, the

observation of the sky nocturne. Furthermore, astronomy is good subject of

conversation in all the educative levels and I publish generally.  

v. Self evaluation (according to the different phases above, how would you rate

your country in terms of Public Understanding of Astronomy? Please include

any other relevant information to motivate your choice.)

It is limited because we don’t have the appropriate education on

Astronomy. But, I publish is very kind to astronomy subjects, treat all the

possible one to include/understand for example: the Stellar Evolution, the

space distance and trips. This causes that debates, groups of commentaries,

discuiones are generated and much more. You accustom is very difficult to

explain phenomena outside its imagination, for example the beliefs of

extraterrestrial, big bang and the religion, etc.

3. Astronomy in Schools:

(i) What governmental astronomy/science education and outreach programmes for

schools take place (co-ordinated either by government departments or national facilities)

At the moment, the Ministry of Education this delivering an attack to include

subjects of astronomy in the pensum in the levels of primary and secondary

education, even, the Independent National University of Nicaragua this including

in the pensum of the race of Degree in Physics the profile of Astrophysics.  

(ii) What non-governmental astronomy/science education and outreach programmes for

schools take place (NGO activities or international programmes that your country is

involved in)

At the moment the Ministry of Educación (MINED) has approved a new

transformation to currivular to the primary and secondary pensum of introducing

a great amount of astronomy subjects. We hope like observatory to enable most of

to professors of primary and secondary of all the country in these subjects, because

they did not receive these subject in their professional training.

(iii) Comment on the presence of astronomy in the school curriculum. Is it part of the

school curriculum? Is it very prominent? What age groups? 

Program of elementary school refer to 8% of time for natural sciences are

dedicated to Astronomy covering the Solar System,  In High School  Kepler’s Laws

and Universal  Gravitation Law, actually we are working on a new transformation

covering more topics. Principal Challenge is prepare to the teachers from

Elementary School and High School in Astronomical topics.

1- Elementary School (7 years old)

2- High School (13 years old)

(iv) Comment on the status of astronomy/science in schools. Are there any specific

challenges or setbacks? Sufficient number of students studying maths and science?

General interest in maths/science/astronomy in schools?

There is great Natural and Social challenges so that there is to enable to all the

prefosres of all the country of Science, Biology and Physics in astronomy subjects.

Furthermore, there is few students of Ciencie in Mathematics and Physics with

interest in astronomy, but, a great interest by this subject. 

(v) Self evaluation (according to the different phases above, how would you rate your

country in terms of Astronomy in Schools? Please include any other relevant

information to motivate your choice.)

It is limited on topics of Astronomy, All the porfesores of the country this very

poor in topical of astronomy, for that we are working the Astronomical

Observatory (www.una.edu.ni/oaunan/oaunan.php) UNAN of it, ANASA

(http://www.anasa.org.ni/ ) and ASTRONIC (http://www.astronic.es.tl/ )