How the night sky changes over time, how to observe it using telescopes, and which are the most common objects that can be seen are some of the topics that nearly 40 people learned on the week of August 4-8 during the 2025 Basic Astronomy Course, offered by the Institute of Radio Astronomy and Astrophysics (IRyA) at UNAM, Morelia Campus.
This year, the Basic Astronomy Course was revamped, updating its design, topics, and duration to better meet the interests of participants, who even voted for some of the topics they were most eager to learn about, such as novae, supernovae, and other explosive events in the universe, black holes, and the possibility of life on planets other than Earth.
During the sessions, attendees interacted with each other and with IRyA staff, who answered their questions and addressed their concerns about the sky, space, and the wide variety of astronomical objects and phenomena that can be studied with ground-based and space-based observatories, and which IRyA researchers also analyze.
This course is planned to be repeated in 2026 using the same curriculum and duration, as participants were very interested and attentive, and at the end of the sessions expressed their satisfaction with the course content and dynamics. They also stated that they would attend a new follow-up course, so the IRyA Science Outreach and Communication Area will seek to design a new course in addition to the current one.
At the end of the course, IRyA staff invited the audience to continue participating in the Institute's public events, such as the Astronomy Friday series, which will resume its sessions next Friday, August 29 at 7:00 pm with a free talk at the UNAM Morelia campus, entitled "Quantum Mechanics: A Revolutionary Description of the World" and given by Daniele Colosi of ENES Morelia.
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Participants in the 2025 Basic Astronomy Course at IRyA.
About IRyA, UNAM
The Instituto de Radioastronomía y Astrofísica (IRyA), or Institute for Radio Astronomy and Astrophysics is an academic unit at UNAM, Campus Morelia, Mexico. The Institute’s personnel perform high-level and high-impact research in the areas of interstellar medium, star formation, evolved stars, high energy astrophysics, Galactic dynamics and structure, extragalactic astronomy and cosmology. They also contribute to educate high-level human resources through a postgraduate program, and maintain a close relationship with society through diverse outreach and science communication programs.
If you are interested in our Institute, visit the English version of our webpage, www.irya.unam.mx/web/en
Media contact:
René A. Ortega Minakata
Outreach and Science Communication
IRyA UNAM Campus Morelia
Text: René A. Ortega Minakata, IRyA UNAM