By Christie McMonigal
Global Astronomy Month 2016 is over, and what a ride it has been! We had a number of new events this year. The Children's AstroArts Contest ran for the first time this year, and was incredibly popular, we have received so many amazing entries, I do not envy the judging panel who have to pick the winners. You can see all the entries on our Facebook page, and below.
We also ran a very interesting hangout with some TWAN photographers talking about their adventures to capture the perfect picture, you can watch this below.
We also had many long-running running events return for another GAM. This included our ever-popular AstroArts programs and the jewel of the GAM schedule the Global Star Party.
We also had some setbacks. CLOUDS! We didn't manage to broadcast a single Virtual Telescope event throughout all of April. Every single time we tried there was poor weather and we had to cancel. But do not worry, we are determined to make the Messier Marathon happen, even if it takes place well and truly outside of GAM.
Of course, GAM is nothing without it's community. The GAM community is incredibly vibrant and enthusiastic. I love seeing all the photos people share with us through member reports and Facebook! Below is just a small selection showcasing some of the amazing activities our community ran during GAM2016.
Thanks to Gunstar Team Goias Astro Clube, Space and Technology India, and Manila Street Astronomers for the amazing photos!
Christie McMonigal is the coordinator of Global Astronomy Month and an Australian science communicator with a strong focus on astronomy. She has worked in education and outreach with a number of organisations including Questacon - The National Science and Technology Centreand Sydney Observatory. She currently works with the University of Technology Sydney, coordinating the outreach and recruitment programs for the Faculty of Science.
Christie has a passion for sharing her love of science with the general public. She feels science, in particular physics and astronomy, is a vital part of our everyday lives and she loves to use science to engage and inspire people of all ages.
