BellaOnline Forums Education Astronomy Astronomy Day coming right up

Astronomy Day was created in 1973 by Doug Berger, then president of the Astronomical Association of Northern California. The unofficial holiday is an attempt to raise the interest of the general public in astronomy by giving them easy access to astronomical instruments such as telescopes.

The holiday also seeks to bridge the knowledge gap by giving the public a chance to interact with astronomers and space scientists. On the day, museums, observatories, universities, and astronomy clubs around the world set up easily accessible telescopes in public spaces including schools, parks, and shopping malls to allow people to observe the skies during the day and night. Other events include lectures and conferences, educational outreach, exhibitions, and essay competitions.

How to Celebrate?
1. Attend a local Astronomy Day event. Bring family and friendswith you and spend some time gazing at the sky through the lenses of a telescope.
2. Learn more about astronomy and how to study it as an amateur astronomer.
3. If you have children in your life, today is the perfect day to introduce them to the magic of astronomy. Who knows, they may grow up to become the next Carl Sagan or Carolyn Shoemaker!

Astronomy allows us to see the history of the universe with our own eyes. The stars that twinkle as you look out on a dark, clear night may not exist right now. They existed at whatever point in history they emitted that light, which has taken millions of years to reach Earth.

Celebrate this marvelous feat on International Astronomy Day by participating in a little stargazing. Check out your local planetarium or library for activities, or simply find a quiet, dark spot to look out onto the sparkling canvas that lies above our heads. Use books or websites to identify the players in the Universe’s spectacular, historical light show.

Telescopes allow us to see much more than is visible to the naked eye. On International Astronomy Day, many organizations offer the public the use of telescopes to experience sights of the Universe that they’ve never seen before.