Astronomy Outreach Experiences
Astronomy outreach award for Rob Kirkham (user: jrkirkham )
Astronomy Outreach Events & Experiences
By: Rob Kirkham
The year was 2008 and astronomers all over the world were being challenged to do their parts in preparation for the International Year of Astronomy, IYA2009. Astronomy wasn’t my field, but I was an educator, and I was comfortable in front of a classroom. Community colleges are known for their evening personal interest classes. If they could teach classes on computers, dog grooming, and flower arrangements, why not a community class on astronomy? I decided to create an astronomy seminar and pitched the concept to three area community colleges. I volunteered to teach the classes. In this way I would be able to do my part for IYA2009. Two of the three schools accepted my offer.
The basic outline of my first seminars wasn’t complicated. They took two hours. For half an hour I led a “hands on” learning activity. It was designed to be fun and slightly educational. For example, I once sat quietly at the front of the class until the very moment the class was about to start and then started singing, “Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket, save it for a rainy day.” Within minutes I had the class singing the chorus with me. Then I playfully teased and asked if they really believed that a person could put a falling star in their pocket. They laughed and answered, “No.” I told them I had one in my pocket at that very moment. They didn’t believe me. I pulled out a meteorite and talked quickly about meteor showers. I then gave one student a flashlight and let that student pretend to be the sun. I gave another student a ball, drew a stick figure on the ball, and let that student be the earth. We shut off the classroom lights and, as the earth rotated, I showed why we see more meteorites in the early hours of the morning than in the later hours of the evening. I then turned the lights back on and gave out some sheets listing upcoming meteor showers. The first half hour was gone. This was only one example. I used many activities for that first half hour. I only had a few rules. They must be fun. They must be activity focused. They must be finished in half an hour or less. I must never do the same activity twice in the same town.
For the next half hour I used a computer planetarium program and a projector. My favorite was Stellarium Portable. It could be installed on a flash drive and used on the college’s computer. I always projected it to a large screen. Again I followed the half hour time limit. I showed the class six targets, no more. Two of them had to be naked eye objects. Two of them had to be binocular objects. Two of them had to be telescopic objects. All of them had to be visible outside on the night of the seminar. The seminars were timed so that the sun went down as I gave the lecture. The last hour was simple. I set three dobsonian telescopes up outside, divided the class into thirds, and allowed each group to see the objects I had just described. I used volunteers (usually my wife and daughter) to operate the telescopes.
That was all there was to those first seminars. I thought I would give a seminar at the two locations, and thus do my part for IYA 2009. That wasn’t, however, the end. That was only the beginning. Both schools invited me back to make seasonal presentations. I had to add a few rules. I limited the classes to only 15 students. I found that too many students made the observing portion chaotic. I also discouraged people from bringing their own telescopes unless they already knew how to use them. I couldn’t afford to give excessive individual attention. I did not mind helping the students outside of class, but during the classes I had to keep the pace fast and the presentations entertaining.
IYA 2009 is now history, yet the requests for astronomy sessions just keep coming. At my largest event I talked to 100 people. I have been mentioned in two different newspapers. I went to one seminar and discovered a TV camera crew at the site. They heard about the seminar, wanted to tape part of the presentation, and interview me for their evening news broadcast. I have a standing invitation to set up star parties during holiday weekends for the campers at an area park. Last fall I was invited to travel to an adjoining state and be the key speaker at a fall retreat for people over the age of 50. I have been invited to speak about astronomy to Boy Scouts, 4-H clubs, public school classes from elementary through high school, a church Sunday School class, Day Care, and more. This month I have two public events scheduled and will share astronomy with about 45 people. I should have kept track, but I can no longer remember how many presentations I have given or how many people I have talked to.
When I was in college, I was a lab assistant in earth and space sciences. Though my major and career plans took me in a different direction, astronomy continues to be a way to relax. Recently my old college invited me back to help lead an observing night for their fall astronomy class. That is an appointment that I look forward to. I often hear people mourn the fact that not as many people seem interested in astronomy these days. I do not find that to be true. What I find is that people are so entertainment oriented that astronomy has to be presented as more enjoyable that going to the movies. If I had any more invitations to present astronomy, I don’t think I would have enough time to observe or complete the astronomy projects I want to do for myself.
Would love to see more articles on your outreach programs!