Solar powered observatory for educational activities

Abstract

In the spring of 2013, Alberta experienced significant flooding. According to the government of Alberta, this flood was “the largest and most expensive natural disaster in Alberta's history” [1]. Siksika Nation was severely impacted, with almost 170 homes devastated by the flood [2]. Recovery was slow, with many families left in temporary housing or without power for several years. A community engagement program developed by the IEEE Southern Alberta Section has been taking place on the Siksika First Nation reservation. A student team from the University of Calgary with the IEEE Special Interest Group on Humanitarian Technology (SIGHT) affinity is leading these activities. The IEEE volunteers are currently working with the reservation's community members to build an astronomical observatory located in a dark area as part of the educational program. The team worked on installing an off-the-grid solar kit to power the observatory. The solar kit was assembled and tested by the students at the university and then installed at the observatory. After the installation of the solar kit, the community members will be trained to maintain the solar kit system while using the telescopes for observation.