PAF Weather Group Attends Immersive Tour at UP NISMED

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) 900th Air Force Weather Group’s (AFWG) Basic Weather Course Class of 2023, composed of nine officers and 20 enlisted personnel from the Philippine Air Force, Philippine Navy, and Philippine Marines, visited the UP NISMED Observatory on 4 October 2023. 

During the tour, the PAF visitors attended a short session with the High School Earth Science Group on various Earth and Space topics such as cloud formation, accessing Low-Earth Orbit communications satellites, and sending emergency Morse Code beacons using high frequency radios. They then proceeded to the observatory where they learned about the tour’s highlight: the UP NISMED telescope. 

The 2023 Basic Weather Course Class poses happily with the UP NISMED Telescope

At the observatory, the PAF visitors were curious about the parts and functions of a telescope. They learned how light is collected by the telescope’s primary mirror or lens to form an image at the eyepiece. Advanced functions of the UP NISMED telescope were also demonstrated, such as the automatic searching for astronomical objects with the help of a newly installed microcontroller module.

The 900th Air Force Weather Group’s Basic Weather Course Class 2023 loosens up at the upper Observation Deck

The Basic Weather Course Class of the 900th Air Force Weather Group covers topics in both meteorology and astronomy. Part of the class requirements is to enhance their understanding of fundamental concepts discussed in class through an immersive educational tour. UP NISMED is proud to have assisted the class in this endeavour.