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You may by now have noticed the words Attingite Ad Astra in the school diary from 9th to 21st June. ‘Attingite Ad Astra’ (meaning ‘Reach for the Stars’) is a 12 day period where the study of astronomy will be woven into different subjects in the school curriculum and across our community life.

Attingite Ad Astra will be launched at the beginning of Artsfest on the 9th where the music department will provide some ‘lunar’ music and Vincent Nettmann, the Resident Astronomer at Maropeng and regular speaker at the Grahamstown Scifest will give a talk to the whole school entitled ‘Living Among the Stars’.

In the days that follow different subjects will look at astronomy through the lens of their subject. The teaching will be particularly aimed at the Remove and Lower Four year groups:

· Geography will look at Lunar and Solar Eclipses and the ‘Winter Solstice’
· History will debate who made the biggest contribution to astronomical discovery
· Life Science will consider why scientists speculate that Mars contains life
· Life Orientation and Divinity will construct a scale model of the solar system and consider our significance in it
· Maths will solve some astronomical problems
· English will debate what should be taken to the moon
· German will consider the contribution of Johannes Kepler to our understanding of planetary motion
· French will research the French space agency and Toulouse space park
· Latin will learn about the how the planets were given their names and the myths associated with the different constellations
· Art will be depicting aspects of the night sky and the celestial art work of great artists

In addition the theme of the stars and the universe will be woven into the corporate worship of the school throughout the course of ‘Attingite Ad Astra’. (The drama production ‘Royal Hunt of the Sun’ also coincides with the beginning of the 12 days period which has an appropriately astronomical title….).

In the middle of ‘Attingite Ad Astra’ a lunar eclipse will be visible in the Southern Hemisphere on the evening of Wednesday 15th June. To mark this occasion, Professor David Block of Wits University will be giving a lecture entitled ‘Extraordinary’ at 6.30 p.m. in the Rene England Auditorium. This promises to be a visual and intellectual feast exploring the intricacy of our solar system and far flung galaxies. The evening will be suitable for the whole family. At the end of the evening another astronomer, Mr Trevor Gould will be available with telescopes to enable people to view the eclipse of the moon and a possible sighting of Saturn in the night sky. Attingite Ad Astra will end on the 21st June, the Winter Solstice. Our hope is that the twelve days will be educationally stimulating for the boys enabling them to integrate their learning across different subjects. In addition we hope that it will instil a sense of awe and wonder at the universe we inhabit and a hunger to understand more.

Best wishes

Roger Cameron