Starting in astronomy

beginner’s guide to stargazing

By Mike Barrett

David Hearn takes outreach

to new level with observatory
Public Outreach is an like the blow up StarDome
oft used and abused term run by our very own
nowadays, but I find it the RocketSTEM contributor
wrong label for astronomy. Andy Green in the UK.
In Astronomy we are These bring the Universe
reaching out for the stars! into cities and classrooms
What is really meant in to provide a realistic model
this context is knowledge of the night skies without
sharing and encouraging having to dodge the clouds
people to raise their eyes to or other adverse weather
the stars. I found it somewhat conditions.
depressing that a survey However the most
published this week showed selfless form of outreach I
1 in 4 Americans were would describe as Private
unaware that the Earth Outreach. There are a
orbited the Sun. This shows number of astronomers who
that there is a real need to have private observatories
get the message out, not and open them up to the
only about Astronomy, but general public. Foremost
basic STEM as well. among these was the late
Astronomers in general Sir Patrick Moore in the UK
are a very approachable who was a great promoter
bunch of people almost of popular astronomy,
always ready and willing providing maps of the Moon
to share their thoughts to NASA for the Apollo Moon
knowledge and more Landings that were created
importantly their telescopes. from observations made in
This can be quite formal his backyard. I am going to
at pre-arranged open focus on a relatively recent
nights such as the Dark Sky example: The Kissimmee
Festival in Harmony, Florida, The Milky Way rises over the Kissimmee Park Observatory Park Observatory on the
Astronomy Club open Photo: David Hearn banks of Lake Tohopekaliga
days, or casual visits to in Florida. The KPO was
planetariums etc. In the UK along and take part. Most clubs will designed and built by
we have a special week where the be happy to accommodate visits David Hearn who is, of course, a big
BBC encourage interest in space to their dark site events, just look up astronomy fanatic.
and astronomy with Stargazing Live your local club on the Internet and I met David at the Harmony Dark
events staged across the country. get in touch. Sky Festival back in 2013 shortly after
Most astronomy clubs hold open Another form of outreach involves the completion of his observatory.
days when newcomers or people planetariums. These can either It was here that I learnt that once
just generally interested in having a be static such as found in local fully up and running he would be
look through a telescope can come museums or transportable ones holding regular (and irregular) open

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