posted Mar 5, 2010 8:01 AM by Jason Bilotta
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updated Mar 5, 2010 8:19 AM
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from globeatnight.org:
GLOBE at Night is an annual 2-week campaign in March. People all
over the world record the brightness of their night sky by matching its
appearance toward the constellation Orion with star maps of
progressively fainter stars. They submit their measurements on-line and a
few weeks later, organizers release a map of light-pollution levels
worldwide. Over the last four GLOBE at Night campaigns, volunteers from
over 100 nations have contributed 35,000 measurements.
Thanks to everyone who participated in the 2009 GLOBE at Night campaign
during 16-28 March! Through GLOBE at Night, students — alongside
teachers, parents and community members — amassed a data set from which
they can begin to explore the concept of light pollution and to research
the patterns of light pollution across the globe. (reposted from www.globeatnight.org)
A record number of over 15,000 measurements were received in the
2009 campaign! See this data on the Map page.
An audio podcast (10 minutes) on light
pollution and how to participate in GLOBE at Night:
http://365daysofastronomy.org/2010/02/03/february-3rd-the-globe-at-night-campaign-our-light-or-starlight/
A powerpoint (with audio and written transcripts)
on light pollution and how to participate in GLOBE at Night:
http://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/download-view.cfm?Doc_ID=428
More GLOBE
at Night 2010 News.
Five Easy Star-Hunting Steps:
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posted Oct 29, 2009 5:58 AM by Jason Bilotta
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updated Oct 29, 2009 12:32 PM
]
5 year old Destiny looks on at Jupiter through a large telescope. Neil Armstrong Elementary School, Port Charlotte FL, Oct 23rd
About 70 Families were treated to a host of activities, all centered on celebrating the discoveries of Galileo 400 years ago this Oct 23rd. With the exception of several great power point presentations on Jupiter and other celestial bodies, all activities were hands on- just the way we like them!
Families were given the chance to win a drawing for a free Galileoscope (provided by Skeptikids of SW Florida) by completing several "stations" such as the Jupiter Presentation, several hands on challenges like guessing the scale of the solar system, coloring pages for the younger kids, and finally, making an official observation of Jupiter and the Moon through a small 20mm telescope, sketching and recording the data, just like Galileo!
Finally, everyone was treated to a nice view of Jupiter, the Moon and several Deep Sky Objects, thanks to the SW Florida Astronomical Society! Some other treats included a group presentation of the constellations and all the wonderful myths and stories that they tell, and a "walking tour of the solar system" - a 10 football field long hike around the school property, where kids and adults got to place all the planets at scale distance and size from each other!
The event was a great success! Many kids - and adults - expressed their thanks for being exposed to the wonders of the night sky! A winner was drawn for the Galileoscope and the night came to an end, but the whole event was best described by 5 year old Destiny:
"This is so much fun I could do this Every Day!"
Special thanks to the Punta Gorda Middle School students, the SWF Astronomical Society, the Bishop Planetarium, Skeptikids, and the teacher and parent volunteers that made the evening such a success! |
posted Oct 28, 2009 5:56 PM by Jason Bilotta
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updated Oct 28, 2009 6:07 PM
]
We will be hosting a viewing night this Friday, October 30th. It will be a small telescope and naked eye observing night, with Jason showing us more constellations, and we'll be looking for a few "Famous" stars, and maybe a few outer solar system planets too! |
posted Oct 8, 2009 11:55 AM by Jason Bilotta
NAE Astros will be having the first club meeting at the school at 7:25am, followed by a viewing at the school that night from 7:15pm until everyone leaves!
We had a lot of kids sign up, far more than we can handle right now, so we are only taking on the first 35 applicants! Don't worry though, we will try to make room for the rest as soon as we get more adult helpers.
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posted Sep 28, 2009 8:41 PM by NAES Astronomy Club
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updated Oct 28, 2009 8:02 PM by Jason Bilotta
]
Join us as we celebrate the 400th anniversary of Italian Astronomer Galileo's discoveries as we turn our telescopes up to Jupiter! Galilean Nights will be a great time to let the world see what Galileo saw! October 23rd at NAES, 7pm-9pm!
Update on the event:
5 year old Destiny looks on at Jupiter through a large telescope.
This was a common scene at Galilean Nights at Neil Armstrong Elementary School on Friday, October 23rd. Between 50-70 Families were treated to a host of activities, all centered on celebrating the discoveries of Galileo 400 years ago. With the exception of several great power point presentations on Jupiter and other local celestial bodies, all activities were hands on- just the way we like them!
Families were given the chance to win a drawing for a free Galileoscope (provided by Skeptikids of SW Florida) by completing several "stations" such as the Jupiter Presentation, several hands on challenges like guessing the scale of the solar system, coloring pages for the younger kids, and finally, making an official observation of Jupiter and the Moon through a small 20mm telescope, sketching and recording the data, just like Galileo!
Finally, everyone was treated to a nice view of Jupiter, the Moon and several Deep Sky Objects, thanks to the SW Florida Astronomical Society! Some other treats included a group presentation of the constellations and all the wonderful myths and stories that they tell, and a "walking tour of the solar system" - a 10 football field long hike around the school property, where kids and adults got to place all the planets at scale distance and size from each other!
The event was a great success! Many kids - and adults - expressed their thanks for being exposed to the wonders of the night sky! A winner was drawn for the Galileoscope and the night came to an end, but the whole event was best described by 5 year old Destiny:
"This is so much fun I could do this Every Day!"
Special thanks to the Punta Gorda Middle School students, the SWFAS, and the teacher and parent volunteers that made the evening such a success! |
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