This page is part of a mainly German written site.

 "AWB-Tour 2010 -  From Orient to Occident " One People, One Sky" (23.4.-3.6.2010)

Beside doing astronomy I like travelling within my restricted financial possibilities. I like to travel in a cheap way sometimes backpacking or travelling with my little selfequipped campervan. The IYA2009 gave me the great input to combine these two favourite occupations.  I was exited by the idea and the mission of AWB. My personal interests in travelling and the goals of AWB matched perfectly to me and Mike Simmons the President of AWB supported my idea. What could be more beautiful to make the ideas of AWB alive ?

This was the reason I started 2009 the planning of my trip to the Middle East . This culture has been always fascinating to me, because it is one of the most important cradles of science and astronomy. This trip was meant to be an appreciation to the arabic historic achievements in these sciences, a kind of respectful bow to this worldheritage.

Astronomical organisations I have contacted in these countries reported back to me that doing this would be a welcomed support for their own efforts in reaching this awareness in their own countries and their people. It would be a living and helpful contribution to continue the spirit of the IYA2009. A living contribution for understanding between different people and nations. A contribution to foster understanding and goodwill across national and cultural boundaries by creating relationships through the universal appeal of astronomy. 

I decorated my little Campervan with the logo of AWB and the first “AWB-Car“ was born. Additionaly I equipped my car with some astro equipment for doing astronomy on the fly. For this case I  have been supported by my longtime friend Wolfgang Ransburg a big international trader of astronomy-stuff.(www.teleskopservice.de) . Very often I used a little h-alpha suntelescope on my trip. Additional I used laminated A3-foils, fixed with magnets on my car for didactic purpose. . Everywhere I used my equipment to enable interested people a first look to the sun or the nightsky with my small 80 mm refractor or binoculars.

To read more about my trip click the flags/pictures below:

	SYRIA		Starparty in Damascus, my presentation at SAAA  (Syrian Amateur Astronomers Association)
	JORDAN		Astronomy on the fly  (observing the sun and the stars, trying some astropicts)
	TURKEY		My visit  at University of Kayseri, meeting  the people of  Erciyes University Amateur Astronomyclub (ASTER)

KLICK HERE to see some additional photographic impressions of our trip (people & landscapes, no astronomy content)

Routemap

text & pictures Johannes Stübler LAG/Austria