- Created: Monday, August 04 2008 17:00
Excitement is building for 100 Hours of Astronomy
Excitement is building for what promises to be one of IYA2009’s most visible Cornerstone Projects. As reported in earlier newsletters, AWB has been asked to take a lead role in organizing this worldwide celebration of astronomy on April 2–5, 2009. The activities over those four days will involve science centers, planetariums, observatories, and more. IYA leaders around the world are planning to make the 100 Hours of Astronomy the focus of their own efforts.
Most interesting to AWB Affiliates is the 24-hour global star party that’s planned. This will be the culmination of the entire 100-hour event, when everyone who has been watching the webcasts will have a chance to go out and look through a telescope. AWB Affiliates and others will be asked to take as many telescopes as possible out where people gather. How many of the world’s six billion inhabitants will get to look through a telescope as darkness sweeps around the world? It depends on everyone’s effort. If you have a telescope, we need you to get it ready so that you can take part!
A 24-hour global star party is close to what had been envisioned as a future AWB activity, and this important global project gives us a chance to carry it out. The 2009 event should be the greatest star party the world has ever seen! AWB hopes to continue it and make it even bigger in years to come, but with even more connection between our Affiliates before, during and after the event.
Stay tuned for more details as this exciting activity takes shape! You can also go to www.100hoursofastronomy.org for more information as it becomes available.
