About the project

The NOX MINIMA project is coordinated by Professor André Bessa, from the School of Science and Technology at UFRN, Brazil. One of the project's main objectives is to introduce young people to sky observation by offering workshops in schools. Our hope is that this page will allow these experiences to be replicated throughout the country.

The name NOX MINIMA uses two Latin words that together mean something like "the smallest of nights". Holding this dome feels like holding a miniature version of the night sky in your hands. So, calmly assemble your dome and experience the charm of its spherical shape, adorned with the beauty of the stars and the lines of the constellations.

Tapirapé is the Tupi name for the Milky Way and means "Path of the Tapir". It is also the name of a Tupi-Guarani speaking indigenous group that inhabits central Brazil. The sky of the Southern Hemisphere is full of legends. You can generate the dome with traditional Western figures or with indigenous figures of the Tapir, the Rhea and the Old Man.

This project is a contribution from the Public University to lovers of sky observation, teachers and students. Let's put our cell phones aside and get to know the stars.