According to the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO), the workshop that the African astronomical community is holding on asteroids and NEOs will be held at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Studies (STIAS).

It will introduce local media professionals and science journalists to the topic of Near-Earth Object (NEO) defense to increase public awareness and media coverage of Africa’s contributions to planetary defense, SAAO stated.

Furthermore, the workshop will serve as a platform to introduce the International Year of Asteroid Awareness and Planetary Defense 2029 to the media.

Public interest in NEOs—such as the one that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs 67 million years ago—could spark debate and collaboration to celebrate and promote this global initiative, the statement said.

According to the program, keynote speakers at the event include Alex Karl, chairman of the IAA organizing committee, and Nicolas Erasmus of the SAAO, home to one of NASA’s ATLAS (Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System) asteroid warning system telescopes.

The SAAO serves as a national center for optical and infrared astronomy, the document notes.

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