On Thursday, 14 November 2024, the Faculty of Applied Sciences, Technology, and Engineering at Bethlehem University organized an Astronomy Night. The event was attended by faculty members, staff, members of the university’s executive council, and students.
Dr. Iman Saca, Vice President for Academic Affairs, welcomed the attendees and highlighted the university’s commitment to supporting student clubs and extracurricular activities. She expressed her gratitude to the organizers and wished them success.
Dr. Ghassan Handal, Dean of the Faculty, encouraged integrating astronomy into the university’s elective courses to enrich students’ learning experiences.
During the event, the university officially launched its Astronomy Club. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was led by Rev. Dr. Iyad Twal, Executive Vice President, along with Dr. Iman, Dr. Ghassan, and Mr. Ahmad Atiya, the club’s president.
Dr. Michel Hanania, the club’s supervisor, shared the club’s goal of increasing awareness about astronomical phenomena among students and the wider community. He gave a talk about the night sky, stars, and planets, and explained how to use a telescope to observe them.
After the lecture, alumna Mereal Lolas, the club’s secretary, presented a virtual preview of the celestial objects that would be observed that evening. The night ended with a stargazing session. Participants used telescopes to observe well-known stars, as well as planets like Saturn and Jupiter, and the Moon.
The establishment of the Astronomy Club was made possible through the generous contributions of the Sir Harold Hood’s Charitable Trust and the Religious of the Assumption. These contributions were facilitated by the Friends of Bethlehem University in Great Britain (FoBU-GB Charity). Their support provided the club with essential equipment to explore the cosmos and conduct meaningful astronomical research.
Bethlehem University extends its gratitude to all partners and participants who made this event a success. The university looks forward to the Astronomy Club’s contributions in fostering curiosity and scientific discovery.