[AstroNet] Galilean Nights IYA project + AstronomyOutreachSA discussion group

Sun Aug 2 20:04:00 SAST 2009

The international IYA committee is planning a street-astronomy project -
"Galilean Nights" - for the 22-24 October.  This sounds like a really
good project for South Africa to get involved with.  More details are at
www.astronomy2009.org/globalprojects/cornerstones/galilean 

The intro to this website is appended below.

The local IYA committee has decided to try using a google group both to
organize this project, and as a local astronomy outreach discussion
group.  Please note that AstronomyOutreachSA is intended to be a
discussion group, as opposed to AstroNet, which is for disseminating
information.  In other words, all the discussion about telescope mounts
that caused a mass exodus from AstroNet can now be done at
AstronomyOutreachSA.  We are also hoping that this group will facilitate
organization of Galilean Nights and other similar projects.

AstronomyOutreachSA
<http://groups.google.co.za/group/astronomy_outreach_sa>   is at
groups.google.co.za/group/astronomy_outreach_sa

To join the group, you need to request an invitation-to-join (on the
right, on the website).  This is because the discussion will be
unmoderated (although we will keep an eye on it and evict anyone who
behaves badly).  Once you join, you can post, upload files, and invite
others to join.  If you're worried about being inundated with
discussion, select the "digest" option for receiving mails from the
group.

Street astronomy is enormous fun, and extremely rewarding.  On the 22 to
24 October, both the Moon and Jupiter will be visible.  

Regards

Claire Flanagan

Jhb Planetarium

From www.astronomy2009.org/globalprojects/cornerstones/galilean

Following the unprecedented success of IYA2009's 100 Hours of Astronomy
(www.100hoursofastronomy.org), which featured hugely popular projects
such as a Global Star Party, the live 24-hour webcast "Around the World
in 80 Telescopes", a Science Centre webcast, Sun Day and 100 Hours of
Remote Astronomy, another series of astronomy events has been
highlighted for 22-24 October 2009. This new IYA2009 Cornerstone Project
is called Galilean Nights and will see amateur and professional
astronomers around the globe taking to the streets, pointing their
telescopes to the wonders that Galileo observed 400 years ago.

The focus of the project is sidewalk observations of gas giant Jupiter
and its moons, as well as allowing members of the public to observe the
Sun, our own Moon and many more celestial marvels.

Claire Flanagan

Wits Planetarium

011-717-1391 / 9

076-744-4735

011-339-2926 (fax)

www.planetarium.co.za

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