Comments on: What Are YOU Doing for the International Year of Astronomy? http://www.universetoday.com/2008/07/23/what-are-you-doing-for-the-international-year-of-astronomy/ Space and astronomy news Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:17:24 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Gill Pilfold http://www.universetoday.com/2008/07/23/what-are-you-doing-for-the-international-year-of-astronomy/comment-page-1/#comment-27503 Gill Pilfold Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:42:13 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=15880#comment-27503 Birmingham Astronomy Society (BAS) will be doing its very best to bring the Night Sky alive for the local citizens of Birmingham in the West Midlands of England, UK. Despite city lights and the British weather, we aim to hold an Event every month during 2009 at various venues in and around the City. Our project is called 'A City-Dweller's Guide to the Galaxy' and that is exactly what we want to do!! From sidewalk astronomy evenings on city streets to star and solar parties in local parks to exhibitions and rocket making activities at our local Planetarium in Thinktank Science Museum, we will bring astronomy to the people for IYA2009!! Best wishes to all our fellow astronomers around the world !!! Birmingham Astronomy Society (BAS) will be doing its very best to bring the Night Sky alive for the local citizens of Birmingham in the West Midlands of England, UK. Despite city lights and the British weather, we aim to hold an Event every month during 2009 at various venues in and around the City. Our project is called 'A City-Dweller's Guide to the Galaxy' and that is exactly what we want to do!! From sidewalk astronomy evenings on city streets to star and solar parties in local parks to exhibitions and rocket making activities at our local Planetarium in Thinktank Science Museum, we will bring astronomy to the people for IYA2009!!
Best wishes to all our fellow astronomers around the world !!!

]]> By: Sakib http://www.universetoday.com/2008/07/23/what-are-you-doing-for-the-international-year-of-astronomy/comment-page-1/#comment-26958 Sakib Thu, 24 Jul 2008 22:46:39 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=15880#comment-26958 I would love to do something but I can't actually think of anything. it would be nice to get people to look at the sky with a telescope but there are such few clear nights in Britain! It would be incredible if there was a comet next year. One problem is that most young people associate knowledge and science with being "uncool". Once upon a time, kids would have been excited about space probes and rockets but this iPod generation doesn't give a damn about the universe. Call me pessimistic but I feel that IYA isn't going to have the desired effect on too many youngsters. I would love to do something but I can't actually think of anything. it would be nice to get people to look at the sky with a telescope but there are such few clear nights in Britain! It would be incredible if there was a comet next year. One problem is that most young people associate knowledge and science with being "uncool". Once upon a time, kids would have been excited about space probes and rockets but this iPod generation doesn't give a damn about the universe. Call me pessimistic but I feel that IYA isn't going to have the desired effect on too many youngsters.

]]> By: bob http://www.universetoday.com/2008/07/23/what-are-you-doing-for-the-international-year-of-astronomy/comment-page-1/#comment-26898 bob Thu, 24 Jul 2008 13:45:41 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=15880#comment-26898 As for this amateur astronomer, I am going to have to explain to the public why it is insane to pick out a year that Saturn's rings will be on edge and unseen to the public for 2009. Not all is lost. I will be active showing off the crescent moon, Jupiter and many globular clusters and nebulas though my XT-12 and will be using a Mallincam with a monitor along with a planetcam. My solar scope should be arriving by fall and that will keep daylight activities going along with lectures on how rainbows, sundogs and other daylight astronomy can be viewed. Our club will have many star parties and will be active on Astronomy Day and we will be active in our local school districts with free lectures for the public. What imaging we have done will be shown. www.nsaclub.org As for this amateur astronomer, I am going to have to explain to the public why it is insane to pick out a year that Saturn's rings will be on edge and unseen to the public for 2009.

Not all is lost. I will be active showing off the crescent moon, Jupiter and many globular clusters and nebulas though my XT-12 and will be using a Mallincam with a monitor along with a planetcam. My solar scope should be arriving by fall and that will keep daylight activities going along with lectures on how rainbows, sundogs and other daylight astronomy can be viewed.

Our club will have many star parties and will be active on Astronomy Day and we will be active in our local school districts with free lectures for the public. What imaging we have done will be shown. http://www.nsaclub.org

]]> By: Jerry Stone http://www.universetoday.com/2008/07/23/what-are-you-doing-for-the-international-year-of-astronomy/comment-page-1/#comment-26881 Jerry Stone Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:30:12 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=15880#comment-26881 Well since you ask, I'm involved in two ways. I'm a freelance presenter on astronomy and space exploration, and I present public talks and also workshops for schools. I expect to be very busy during 2009! I'm also chairman of the Letchworth & District Astronomical Society, which is the foremost society in Hertfordshire (England, 35 miles north of London). We are already avery active society, but our outreach programme will be massively increased for the IYA, including the following: * 4 public star parties * At least 4 sidewalk astronomy sessions, with solar observing and daytime lunar observing * 2 meteor watches * An eclipse watch * At least 2 public displays * Several public talks * School visits to our observatory * Imaging the Messier objects during our observing season * Local radio interviews * Involvement with the "Galileoscope" and "100 Hours of Astronomy" projects We are setting up an IYA sub-committee to plan these activities. As you can see, we're going to be really busy! You can find more information on our website. Go to www.ldas.org.uk and look for "IYA" in the links at the foot of the page. You can also contact me at spaceflight_ukyahoo.co.uk Well since you ask, I'm involved in two ways.

I'm a freelance presenter on astronomy and space exploration, and I present public talks and also workshops for schools. I expect to be very busy during 2009!

I'm also chairman of the Letchworth & District Astronomical Society, which is the foremost society in Hertfordshire (England, 35 miles north of London). We are already avery active society, but our outreach programme will be massively increased for the IYA, including the following:
* 4 public star parties
* At least 4 sidewalk astronomy sessions, with solar observing and daytime lunar observing
* 2 meteor watches
* An eclipse watch
* At least 2 public displays
* Several public talks
* School visits to our observatory
* Imaging the Messier objects during our observing season
* Local radio interviews
* Involvement with the "Galileoscope" and "100 Hours of Astronomy" projects

We are setting up an IYA sub-committee to plan these activities.

As you can see, we're going to be really busy! You can find more information on our website. Go to http://www.ldas.org.uk and look for "IYA" in the links at the foot of the page.

You can also contact me at spaceflight_ukyahoo.co.uk

]]> By: erika http://www.universetoday.com/2008/07/23/what-are-you-doing-for-the-international-year-of-astronomy/comment-page-1/#comment-26876 erika Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:03:34 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=15880#comment-26876 Can't wait to participate in my country's IYA celebration. I really really want to promote astronomy to everyone. Can't wait to participate in my country's IYA celebration. I really really want to promote astronomy to everyone.

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