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Sidewalk AstronomyAs an amateur astronomer, perhaps one of the easiest
ways to share your love of stargazing with others, is to engage in Sidewalk
Astronomy activities and events. They can be planned or spontaneous; involve
a dozen astronomers or just yourself. You can target something as easy
as the Moon or something as challenging as a Messier object - regardless,
sidewalk astronomy is perfect for recreating those oohs and aahs you first
experienced yourself. Not to mention a great opportunity for more people
to have Galileo
moments during the Getting Started Choose a location which is accessible to the public, keeping in mind that the brighter the surrounding lights, the harder it may be to see some of the more challenging targets. Seek out permission to set up on a particular property beforehand, if necessary. Make sure you are familiar with what will be up in the sky that night, along with your specific targets. There are bound to be many questions! While you do not need to be an expert, knowing a little bit about the constellations and planets that are up that evening will go a long way toward answering questions. See the links below for extra resources. Arrive at your location early to make sure you have enough light to set up. The longer you are there, too, the more passers-by will see what you are doing and come over to ask questions. Brian Battersby, of the Finally, while advertising your event is not mandatory, informally getting the word out (community bulletin boards, email lists, local events web pages or public announcements) will help spread the word and will result in a larger audience throughout the evening. Good Sidewalk Astronomy Targets and Resources: Here are some ideas for easy targets to get your audience hooked! The "Become a Sidewalk Astronomer" handbook (above) is an excellent resource as well.
More Information on Sidewalk Astronomy: More astronomy in Canada:
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