By Niña Allyn Rose B. Amase

CSC members host a free telescope viewing session and mini- booth exhibit for the Centralian community.

ILOILO CITY — The Centralian Space Community (CSC) marked its first-ever major milestone on August 12, 2026, hosting a free telescope viewing session and mini-booth display at the Centennial Walkway, CPU Big Field. The public initiative was spearheaded with the primary goal of introducing the newly recognized organization to the wider Centralian community.

The event coincided with the nationwide celebration of Philippine Space Week 2026, following CSC’s official recognition as a student organization by the Student Development & Programs (SDP) Office for the current academic year.

Running officially from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM, the event drew a crowd of students, parents, faculty, and staff along the walkway even before opening hours. Young, curious minds from the elementary department, interested students, and space enthusiasts lined up patiently for a chance to view Venus.

According to WorldAtlas astronomy data, Venus is the brightest planet in the night sky and usually the brightest natural object in the night sky after the Moon.

Beyond stargazing, the mini-booth engaged visitors with an overview of the organization’s mission, distributing free stickers and foldable brochures detailing Philippine-made satellites (Maya-1, Diwata-1, and Diwata-2) provided directly by the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA).

The event concluded with prospective members inquiring about the application process. CSC confirmed that membership applications will open soon, reiterating its commitment to drawing inspiration from PhilSA’s advocacy to make space science accessible to everyone.

REFERENCE: Johnson, D. (2026, July 17). What’s the brightest object in the sky? WorldAtlas. https://www.worldatlas.com/space/what-s-the-brightest-object-in-the-sky.html