Help make BlackGEM happen! Your funds will help us to study the Universe in a completely new way. The aim for BlackGEM is to have at least 15 telescopes studying the golden glow of gravitational wave events. For this a total of 15 million Euro is needed, and every Euro counts!

To acknowledge the generous support from the public, we would like to show our appreciation:

  • Donations up to 1000 Euro:  you will receive our regular BlackGEM newsletter and a BlackGEM t-shirt to say 'Thank you!'
  • Donations 1000 - 10000 Euro: you will receive the regular BlackGEM newsletter, the t-shirt and an invitation to the yearly BlackGEM dinner at Radboud University
  • Donations 10000 - 50000 Euro: the above and a trip to our sites in Chile or South Africa
  • Donations >100000 Euro: all of the above, a trip to both sites, a mention on site and on our website
  • Donations > 1 million Euro: we will make a special arrangement for you 

If anonymity is desired we will of course respect this.

What will we use donations for

Aspects of the BlackGEM project for which donations will be used:

  • Public outreach: online, on social media and in classrooms. We would like to provide teaching materials to primary and secondary class rooms, in Europe, the US, but specifically also in Southern Africa (for the MeerLICHT project)
  • Public access to the data: the BlackGEM data set, hosted in the BlackCloud, is a goldmine for astronomical research, reaching far beyond the goal of detecting gravitational wave counterparts. Making this data publicly available requires resources. The BlackCloud archive will specifically benefit researchers in less-fortunate countries who can now use our archive to do cutting-edge science. 
  • Science: The goal of BlackGEM is to do astronomical research. Your funding will help to support PhD students and postdoctoral researchers to use their talents to uncover the secrets of the Universe
  • Array expansion: the goal is to get to 15 telescopes, with the cost of each additional telescope ~1 million Euro.

Radboud University has established the Radboud Fonds, a tax-exempt charity under Dutch law (ANBI status).  Donations are tax deductable. Donations can be made using IBAN account number NL30 INGB 0003816721 under the name of SKU Nijmegen with the explicit mention of 'BlackGEM'.

If you wish to obtain more detailed information, please contact Paul Groot, or Eelco Keij, director of the Radboud Fonds

BlackGEM prototype MeerLICHT in the news