- 27.03-02.04.2016, Astro Tourism Group mission to Tbilisi and Abastumani, Georgia for seminars, discussion of collaborations and visiting astro tourism sites. The first part of the mission was spent in Tbilisi and the second part in Abastumani. A two-day workshop was organized at Ilia State University. Maya Todua, the Director of Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory (AbAO) gave a review of astronomy in Georgia, including its astro tourism sites. Areg Mickaelian, the Director of IAU SWA ROAD, represented IAU South West Asian ROAD activities, including our Astro Tourism project. Sona Farmanyan, Task Force 3 “Astronomy for the Public” Coordinator, gave a talk on the role of Archaeoastronomy and Astronomy in Culture in activities related to astronomy for development in South West Asia, especially emphasizing astronomical heritage sites. Another workshop was organized in Abastumani on March 31 – April 1. Visits to AbAO facilities (Meniscus telescope, AZT-14, big coronograph, the Observatory museum, etc.), cognitive tours, and other AstroTourism activities were organized.
- 23-24.04.2016, Astro Tourism Group mission to Armenian Vayots Dzor and Syunik Provinces: 23.04 – Gladzor (medieval university with studies also related to astronomy) and Zorats Karer (ancient observatory), 24.04 – Tatev Monastery (having a column connected with calendar based on the position and orientation of Orion constellation mentioning the beginning of the year on 11 August). The mission aimed at investigating the above-mentioned sites, evaluating the degree of presentation properness of each site, identifying any issues concerning organization of scientific tourism in each site and finding solutions to them, collection of information for presentations from the point of view of scientific tourism for each site, recording materials for the film about Armenia as a Land of Science.
- 12-23.05.2016, Astro Tourism Project Manager Areg Mickaelian’s mission to Central Asia: 12-17.05 – Uzbekistan (Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara), 17-20.05 – Kazakhstan (Almaty, Tian-Shan) and 20-23.05 – Tajikistan (Dushanbe, Sanglokh). A number of Astro Tourism sites were visited, such as Samarkand, Bukhara, Ulugh-Beg Ancient Observatory (Uzbekistan), Fesenkov Astrophysical Institute and Tian-Shan Observatory (Kazakhstan), Astrophysical Institute of the Academy of Science and Sanglokh Observatory (Tajikistan). Discussions were held on future collaboration within the IAU Strategic Plan.
- 14-18.08.2016, Astro Tourism Group mission to Maragha, Iran: Areg Mickaelian and Sona Farmanyan visited Maragha, Iran for acquaintance to the medieval observatory and other related sites. Maragha Observatory was established in 1259 A.D. under the patronage of the Ilkhanid Hulagu and the directorship of Nasir al-Din al-Tusi, a Persian scientist and astronomer. Located in the heights west of Maragheh, it was once considered one of the most prestigious observatories in the world.
- 05-08.10.2016, Astro Tourism Project Manager Areg Mickaelian’s mission to Tbilisi, Georgia: discussions with Georgian colleagues on possible exchange of tourists in frame of the project Astro Tourism in South West Asia.
- Study Visits to Zorats Karer (Karahunge) ancient observatory, Metzamor archaeological site (including the ancient observatory), Space Museum, Science and Technology Museum (including exposures related to astronomical investigations), Yerevan Physics Institute (Alikhanyan National Laboratory having Cosmology research group), Ancient rock-art (with astronomical content), etc.
© South West and Central Asia Regional Office of Astronomy for Development (SWCA ROAD) 2015