And don’t forget to have binoculars on hand. If you think neophytes are surprised by the capability of small telescopes, wait until they see the Pleiades (M45) through binoculars. Dust off those binoculars sitting in your closet to serve a newfound purpose.
If possible, start the star party with an explanatory talk. It helps to present a brief but informative introductory twilight talk before heading for the telescopes. Include a rundown on the evening’s observing “menu,” a demonstration of how to look into a telescope eyepiece, and some “star party etiquette”— especially if a number of youngsters are present. Caution them about running around, using bright flashlights (or even cellphones), hogging the eyepiece at the expense of others waiting in line, and (very important) sticking their faces in front of a telescope while someone is peering into the eyepiece! Above all, make sure everyone feels comfortable asking questions, no matter how silly they might seem.
Offer handouts that introduce astronomy to the beginner. At the very least, have available a resource list that includes recommended guidebooks and publications (like
Astronomy!), a way to contact your astronomy club or local amateur astronomers willing to serve as mentors, and the URLs of beginner-friendly websites. Astronomy clubs should also consider
Astronomy’s Star Party Action Kit, which I mentioned in my January column. It contains brochures, magazines, and booklets for clubs to hand out at a
Discover the Universe star party. See
www.Astronomy.com/discovertheuniverse for more information.
Many websites offer how-to information for carrying out a public star party. San Francisco Sidewalk Astronomers member Michael Portuesi offers his suggestions at
http://tinyurl.com/sfastro. Those of you planning a star party for a local school will appreciate the pointers offered by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific in conjunction with its Project ASTRO outreach program. Log on to http://
tinyurl.com/ASPparty.
Astronomy Day may pale in comparison to New Year’s Day, but it has one feature that no other holiday can offer: It’s observed
twice each year! Take that, New Year’s! The second Astronomy Day will occur October 20. Stay tuned!
Questions, comments, or suggestions? Email me at
gchaple@hotmail.com. Next month: spring double stars. Clear skies!