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The Flying Telescope: How to Reach Remote Areas in the Colombian Andes for Astronomy Outreach (page 31)
Marja K. Seidel, Kira Buelhoff

Keywords
Colombia, astronomy outreach, remote villages, solar telescope, South America

Summary

The project Cielo y Tierra, Spanish for Sky and Earth, was undertaken in order to bring astronomy and ecology to remote villages throughout Colombia using sustainable transport. This transport included three horses and two paragliders. The innovative approach of the expedition helped to keep an extremely low budget whilst making it possible to cross the Colombian Andes from northeast to southwest. This article will show how projects like these can succeed, the need for this kind of project, and the possible impact, with this project reaching more than 1500 people. We hope to encourage others not to be afraid of going into countries like Colombia on a low-budget educational expedition. The success of this project shows that outreach and education projects are possible in these remote areas where little or no governmental or other support reaches.