Astronomy Department

For the past 20 years, the BU Astronomy Department has sponsored academic group trips for BU students in some of our introductory, majors, or graduate courses, to travel to Flagstaff, Arizona to use the 72-in Perkins telescope for hands-on, large telescope use in class projects. Here are just a few examples of the direct impact your support can make:

• $25 provides support towards group meal costs for field trip groups while observing
• $100 provides support towards accommodations for one student on an AZ class field trip
• $300 provides half support of a Museum of Science Planetarium evening event for students in our introductory courses
• $750 supports airfare for one student to participate in an academic class field trip to Flagstaff, AZ
• $3,000 replaces one telescope at BU’s Coit Observatory, utilized for Astronomy department weekly public outreach at BU and hands-on telescope experience for astronomy classes

Donations also help sponsor educational experiences and scientific outreach for our students, such as class planetarium nights at the Museum of Science, or astronomy events with local schools.

In addition to supporting student trips to places such as the PTO in Flagstaff, AZ or NASA Goddard in Maryland, donations will help replace some of the aging rooftop telescopes used on campus for our introductory astronomy and majors classes as well as weekly public outreach events here in Boston.