A message from Ukraine students: Help us see the stars

When the war in Ukraine darkened cities with widespread power outages, students across the country found an unexpected source of light—the night sky. With electricity scarce and streetlights dimmed, the cosmos revealed itself in breathtaking clarity, offering a moment of wonder in the midst of hardship. But for many young astronomy enthusiasts, a lack of telescopes meant they could only dream of exploring the stars beyond their unaided eyes.

Determined to turn this challenge into an opportunity, a group of Ukrainian students reached out to Astronomy for Equity (A4E) with a simple yet powerful request: Help us see the stars. Their message was clear—despite the war, their passion for astronomy remained unshaken.

A4E answered the call.

With generous support from Explore Scientific and Baader Planetarium, A4E secured a donation of telescopes to send to Ukraine. But sending the telescopes was just the beginning. To truly make an impact, a team from A4E will embark on a journey to personally deliver additional telescopes, teach students how to use them, and share in the magic of the night sky together.