One day each year, astronomy clubs, planetariums, and other groups of sky lovers band together to expose the general public to the wonders and excitement of astronomy. Officially, Astronomy Day is celebrated "to promote the forerunner of all scientific endeavors and to provide information, resources, and encouragement in all facets of astronomy." But showing that astronomy is
fun is really what it's all about.
Doug Berger, former president of the Astronomical Association of Northern California, founded this annual event in 1973 as a high-profile way of drawing public attention to the science and the hobby through exhibits and activities at urban centers. Since then the celebration has mushroomed in size and scope. Hundreds of astronomy clubs, observatories, museums, colleges, and planetariums worldwide now host special family-oriented Astronomy Day events and festivities. Some organizations extend their activities over an entire week.
Schedule
Astronomy Day has traditionally been celebrated between mid-April and mid-May, on the Saturday closest to the first-quarter Moon. It falls on May 10th in 2008. However, local organizers often host events on other dates that better suit their needs, or to accommodate a special event like an eclipse, planetary alignment, or bright comet.
Why Participate?
This event is a great way for your club to gain visibility in your community. Having the public look through telescopes and at your displays spreads interest in astronomy throughout the general public and might even attract new members to your club. It provides a platform for discussing light pollution — an issue that should concern everyone. Perhaps most important, Astronomy Day is great morale-booster for you and your fellow club members. It brings people together for a day of sharing their love of the sky with others.
If you don't belong to an astronomy club and want to find a local club or planetarium that might be hosting an Astronomy Day celebration, check out our
directory of clubs, observatories, planetariums, and science museums in North America, Europe, and Australia/New Zealand.
Sky & Telescope
More Information
To assist organizations and individuals in planning Astronomy Day programs, the Astronomical League and
Sky & Telescope have prepared a fact-filled
Astronomy Day Handbook. Written by David H. Levy and recently updated by Gary Tomlinson, the 76-page guide offers time-tested suggestions for conducting large and small endeavors. It also includes the rules and entry forms for the
Sky & Telescope Astronomy Day Award, prizes given annually to the groups whose programs do the best job of "Bringing Astronomy to the People."
The
Astronomy Day Handbook is available for free as an
850-kilobyte Adobe PDF file.
The Astronomical League maintains the official
Astronomy Day Web page, which describes the event's background and where to find an Astronomy Day activity in your area.
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