[AstroNet] New Years Star Party at Sutherland

[Kevin Govender]

Hi all
Big news regarding how we will see in the International Year of 
Astronomy 2009 - courtesy of the South African Astronomical Observatory 
and SALT! (See the email below from the director of the SAAO to the staff).

This has not been officially released to the media just yet but serves 
as a call for assistance and volunteers from the AstroNet community.

There will be activities in Sutherland for the week between Christmas 
and New Year culminating in a once-in-a-lifetime all night stargazing 
session at the SAAO observatory in Sutherland (yes, right up there on 
the plateau where SALT and the other telescopes are!). Within a few 
weeks we will have press releases and times when people can start 
booking places for this unique opportunity to experience the world 
famous skies of Sutherland from the telescope plateau itself.

What we need now are volunteers and organising assistance to handle all 
the logistics. Please write to me if you are keen and I will send you 
more detail.

Let's make the most of this truly unique opportunity to celebrate the 
start of a year that will surely remain with us forever!
Regards
Kevin







-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	[SAAO Staff] New Years Star Party at Sutherland
Date: 	Fri, 17 Oct 2008 17:55:38 +0200
From: 	Phil Charles <pac at saao.ac.za>

	



Proposed New Year's Star Party at Sutherland

As I reported at my feedback yesterday, and after consideration by the 
SAAO Executive of the risks that would be involved, we have decided to 
go ahead and dedicate the use of the observatory on the night of 31st 
December 2008 to a public event in Sutherland.  This is in recognition 
of the significance of the International Year of Astronomy 2009 and the 
importance of encouraging and enhancing the public's participation in 
astronomy.

A large number of people (limited by our hosting capacity) will be 
allowed to spend the entire night at the telescopes (including SALT) in 
Sutherland, an area which is otherwise strictly reserved for research 
purposes. This unique event will be the first time in the history of the 
SAAO in Sutherland that an entire night will have been set aside for the 
public. It will mark a significant occasion in celebrating astronomy as 
we see in the International Year of Astronomy 2009. I would like to 
welcome all SAAO staff and astronomy enthusiasts across the country to 
support this initiative either by attending the event themselves or 
serving as a volunteer. More information will follow shortly but you may 
contact Kevin Govender (kg at saao.ac.za) in the meantime should you want 
to participate or contribute in some way.

Phil Charles



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