The Big Aussie Star Hunt, 15-23 August 2009 August 6, 2009
Posted by astroed in Astronomy, Education.trackback
Get involved in this year’s National Project for National Science Week, the Big Aussie Star Hunt. This is a great opportunity to engage students and the public in astronomy. The project is designed to get people to go outside and learn more about the night sky. To achieve this there are several components:
- Tours, both a virtual one to try on your computer and an outdoors one.
- The star hunt survey which asks participants to locate Crux and Scorpius and compare their observations of Scorpius with eight diagrams to match the appropriate one. They then enter their results in a simple online form. The results are combined to produce what will hopefully be the largest night sky and light pollution survey conducted in Australia. This survey runs 15 -23 August. Submitting observations automatically enters you for a competition to win a bundle of stuff from the ABC store. There is also a schools competition.
- Tips and Tools; including reviews and links to great free software such as Stellarium, Celestia, Microsoft WorldWide Telescope and Google Sky. You can also learn how to find South using the stars,
- Special features including Aboriginal astronomy, a night sky quiz, ask an expert sections on several topics including light pollution and a photo gallery.
- A section with information for teachers. This includes my tips on how to run a viewing night and more.
- Links to other dark sky projects such as Globe at Night and other useful astronomical sites.
You can download a nine-page PDF with sky charts and background material to help with the viewing. There is also a narrated sky tour by Fred Watson that you can download as an MP3. The ABC Science Online team have done a great job developing this site and it was a pleasure working them from the initial conception onwards.
Go and visit the site then get out and look up in Science Week!
Big Aussie Star Hunt promotional poster
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