Nepal has a seat in global astronomy. Now it must build on it

As the Nepal Astronomical Society (NASO) marks its 19th Foundation Day on August 25, there is good reason to reflect on how far Nepal’s relationship with the global astronomy community has come—and how much further it still has to go.

This year also marks two decades since Nepal first appeared at an International Astronomical Union (IAU) General Assembly in 2006, marking 20 years of steadily growing international presence. For a country whose relationship with the sky has always run deep—from the astronomical calculations of ancient calendars to the folklore built around eclipses and constellations—Nepal’s formal entry into the global astronomy community has been a long time coming.