On 6 September 2021 the Kick-Off meeting for the ORP WP2 JA1.5 Preserving the Skies was held as an online meeting. Group members had the occasion to meet and get to know each other and received an overview of the ORP in general.

Main objects of the meeting were:

• Introduction of group members;
• The set-up of the general context and the status of initiatives organised so far regarding preserving the Skies; 
• An update on the IAU Call for the establishment of an IAU New Centre for the Protection of the Dark Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference;
• Collecting ideas from group members for/in their areas/countries/institutes. 

The JA1.5 acts as a coordinating entity that will serve as an interface between various activities that are already ongoing in diverse contexts. It strives to identify gaps where astronomers should be present. Based on this input, a strategic plan will be set up to help us achieve the goal of preserving the skies for scientific use as well as possible.

In order to also facilitate activities on a national level, material will be collected that everyone can use in the adequate local context. 

The next meeting of ORP WP2 JA1.5 Preserving the Skies will take place in November 2021.

For more information please contact Michael Kramer  (mkramer@mpifr-bonn.mpg.de)

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Participants ORP WP2 JA1.5 Preserving the Skies Kick-off Meeting.