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News — The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) is launching a nationwide strategic investment in the future of rural education called Smithsonian Scientists Taking Astronomy to Rural Schools (STARS). The Smithsonian STARS program will equip schools with a donated telescope, accessories such as solar lenses, ongoing teacher training, and aligned astronomy lessons designed to inspire curiosity and strengthen science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education for the nation’s approximately 9.8 million rural schoolchildren.

In addition to donated telescopes and accompanying lessons centered on state science standards, SAO will provide in-person and ongoing support for teachers as well as live observing sessions for students led by STARS staff and scientists. For more advanced projects, as part of the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard and Smithsonian (CfA), SAO will give students and teachers access to CfA’s network of online automated telescopes and an online community designed to build confidence and fuel scientific curiosity. STARS will continue to support students throughout their education by connecting them to research opportunities at SAO and the CfA during their college years.

“I am so excited by the STARS initiative,” said Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch. “Since its inception, the Smithsonian has embraced the exploration of the universe. The STARS program will not only enrich rural students’ understanding of the cosmos, it will also show them that their future is as boundless and filled with possibility as the vast skies these telescopes bring into focus.”

“Curiosity is at the heart of the Smithsonian and our work to explore the universe and the world,” said Ellen Stofan, the Smithsonian’s Under Secretary for Science and Research. “It’s also what launches the careers of thousands of scholars and other professionals who make our world a better place every day. By putting telescopes in the hands of students, STARS will have a tangible impact in inspiring, teaching and ultimately giving them a reason to dream about becoming a future STEM leader.”

Philanthropic Support

STARS has received $3 million in funding from individuals, corporations and foundations. John C. Ryan, the founding donor to launch STARS, has been an SAO advisory board member since 2015 and simultaneously served on the Smithsonian National Board. He was inspired to make this gift after hearing SAO Director Lisa Kewley describe STARS at a board dinner.

“It all started when I was 8,” Ryan said. “I found a book that lit the fuse for my lifetime interest in astronomy. This small, full-color book was filled with images of fantastic celestial objects: Saturn with its rings, the giant Jupiter and its big red spot, and more. And I was hooked. Today, I have the opportunity to help launch SAO’s STARS Program. And like what happened for me, the program will generate curiosity in science, technology, engineering and math for thousands of students in rural and tribal nation schools across the country. Curiosity pays off.”

Celestron is making an in-kind donation of telescope kits to support the program. “We’re proud to donate a full suite of telescope accessories to the STARS program that will make observing under rural communities’ pristine dark skies a truly unforgettable experience,” said Corey Lee, CEO of Celestron. “This collaboration underscores our shared commitment to making astronomy accessible to everyone, everywhere. We can’t wait to see what these bright students in the STARS program accomplish as they explore the universe and embark on a lifetime of discovery.”

Additional early supporters include Jere Broh-Kahn, who has pledged a significant bequest in honor of his late wife Bonnie. The Broh-Kahns have long supported Smithsonian education initiatives. The STARS program received support from Smithsonian’s Our Shared Future: 250, a Smithsonian-wide initiative commemorating the nation’s 250th anniversary. Signature support for Smithsonian’s Our Shared Future: 250 has been provided by Lilly Endowment Inc. STARS has also received early support from the Change Happens Foundation.

Program Launch

The program will launch in Arizona during the 2025/2026 school year. Arizona ranks 50th in the nation for K–12 school funding and resources, making it a critical focus for educational investment. The state is also home to SAO’s Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory. Following the Arizona launch, the program will expand to reach rural schools across the country. The Smithsonian is undertaking a major fundraising effort to support the national rollout of STARS.

“Without a doubt, ongoing support plays a pivotal role in not just igniting a passion for STEM careers among students, but also in driving them to build futures in these groundbreaking fields post-education,” Kewley said. “At SAO, we stand firm in our belief: the sky has no limits, and neither does STEM. Our STARS initiative aims to inspire kids across the country to reach for the cosmos.”

STARS is part of the Smithsonian Campaign for Our Shared Future, a national initiative to raise funds for all Smithsonian museums, education and research centers and the National Zoo, in support of a unified vision: to build a better future for all.​​ Learn more on the .

About the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian

Since the 19th century, the Smithsonian Institution has conducted pioneering astrophysical research through the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO). As part of the broader Smithsonian, SAO engages students and the public in science like no other organization–putting cosmic discoveries in context with the broader American experience.

The Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian is a collaboration between Harvard and the Smithsonian designed to ask—and ultimately answer—humanity’s greatest unresolved questions about the nature of the universe. The Center for Astrophysics is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with research facilities across the U.S. and around the world.