Cosmic Collaborations: The SETI Institute Works to Bring Unistellar Telescopes Everywhere

UPDATE November 2024

We are honored to express our deepest gratitude to Dr. Franck Marchis @Franck Marchis, senior astronomer and science outreach manager at the SETI Institute, for his remarkable generosity in facilitating the transfer of the “eQuinox 2 Revolutionary Smart Telescope” to the students of Odessa I.I. Mechnikov National University (Ukraine) as part of a humanitarian mission.

Heartfelt gratitude goes to the incredible Professor Elena Alekseevna Panko, the supervisor of the Unistellar project at I.I. Mechnikov Odessa National University. Her vision, leadership, and unwavering passion for science continue to inspire everyone involved in this initiative. Professor Panko’s dedication to her students and the scientific community shines through in her relentless efforts to bring cuttingedge technologies and opportunities to the university. Her support and belief in the potential of this project make her an irreplaceable part of its success, and we are truly grateful for her guidance and encouragement.

We also extend special thanks to Taisiia Karasova for her outstanding coordination efforts. Her meticulous planning, dedication, and tireless work ensure the smooth execution of this mission, and her commitment remains a cornerstone of its success.

Additionally, we express our deepest appreciation to the brilliant developers at Unistellar. Their innovative vision and groundbreaking technology make the “eQuinox 2” telescope a revolutionary tool in modern astronomy. This incredible device continues to open up new opportunities for education and research, bringing the wonders of the universe closer to students and professionals alike. Your dedication to creating accessible and transformative tools for scientific exploration is truly inspiring.

The telescope is absolutely exceptional, and working with it is an absolute joy. To everyone who makes this project possible—thank you for your generosity, vision, and commitment to advancing science and education! 🌟

In a joint effort to expand our understanding of the cosmos and inspire global cooperation, the SETI Institute, UNISTELLAR, Astronomers Without Borders (AWB), and AstroSandbox have partnered up to provide smart telescopes to astronomy advocates across the globe. These collaborations aim to unite the expertise of SETI's renowned scientists with extensive networks of amateur astronomers and outreach programs, creating a synergy that will push the boundaries of space exploration and education.

The SETI Institute and UNISTELLAR have already donated four UNISTELLAR telescopes to AWB National Coordinators in Brazil, Colombia, Kosovo, and Nepal to help empower their outreach efforts. More donations of EQUINOX 1 telescopes are already in preparation while current recipients are already seeing the effects. 

Marcelo Souza (right) with members of the Louis Cruls Astronomy Club and their new UNISTELLAR EQUINOX 1.

“The donation of the Unistellar telescope made by the SETI Institute and Unistellar through a recommendation from Astronomers without Borders completely changed our teaching, research and popularization of Astronomy projects. It is a modern and fantastic resource that makes it possible to observe celestial objects in an innovative way,” says Marcel Souza of the Louis Cruls Astronomy Club in Campos Dos Goytacazes, Brazil. ”It was very difficult to imagine just a few years ago that we would have access to such sophisticated equipment.

Recipients of the telescopes will also help foster citizen science in their local communities under the guidance of SETI Institute astronomers, an important aspect to the SETI Institute & UNISTELLAR Network since many scientific observations can only be made from certain locations on Earth.

The collaborating AWB National Coordinators, including Suhel Ahmeti (@suhelahmeti) of the Astronomy Club of Kosovo (@astroclubkosovo), have already started making observations. “This powerful telescope has opened up a new world of discovery, allowing us to observe distant galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters with unprecedented clarity,” says Suhel. “It’s an incredible feeling to contribute to citizen science and support the SETI Institute’s mission. Through these observations, we not only deepen our understanding of the cosmos but also inspire future generations to reach for the stars.”

AWB has been fostering a global community of stargazers, bridging cultural and geographical divides through a shared passion for astronomy. Their mission of cultivating community through astronomy will not only enhance SETI Institute and UNISTELLAR citizen science research efforts, but will also democratize access to astronomical knowledge. In this way, the SETI Institute can better empower individuals from all walks of life to participate in the grand adventure of space exploration.

The SETI Institute is also supporting this stellar outreach elsewhere by working with organizations like AstroSandbox, a student and teacherled initiative in Ukraine that helps astroinclined youth to reach for the stars. Thanks to generous donations from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, four UNISTELLAR telescopes have already arrived in Ukraine at Kryvyi Rih State Pedagogical University (KDPU), Kyiv National University, Odessa National University, and the National University of Lviv. Taisiia Karasova, the founder of AstroSandbox and a current student at MIT, worked with Dr. Franck Marchis, Director of Citizen Science at the SETI Institute and Chief Science Officer at UNISTELLAR, to deliver the telescopes in service of these Ukrainian communities. 

“The UNISTELLAR EVSCOPE 2 telescope is a new generation digital device… easy to use, we together with the students put it together quick and easy. And this is despite the great distance that the telescope has traveled,” says Svitlana Malchenko of KDPU. ”The telescope can be used to perform its own observations, which will be transformed into future scientific work, so I invite interested students to participate!”

“We partnered with AWB and AstroSandbox to expand the mission of the UNISTELLAR Network, striving to return the splendor of the dark sky to people everywhere. This initiative allows individuals to marvel at the cosmos and engage in meaningful scientific observations inspired by the SETI Institute’s citizen science program,” stated Dr. Marchis. “From Kosovo to Brazil to Ukraine, our network connects stargazers worldwide, reminding us that despite our differences, we all share one planet under one sky.”