Astronomy Outreach

Westminster Astronomical Society is committed to public outreach and education in astronomy. We organize public star parties, public lectures, and community events to engage the community and inspire interest in astronomy and space science. Check our calendar for upcoming events. To request a public outreach event for your organization, please contact the outreach coordinator at outreach@westminsterastro.org or fill out the request form at the Night Sky Network.

Homines dum docent discunt.
— Seneca the Younger

Resources

Members wishing to participate in or organize outreach events have access to a variety of outreach resources available on the internet.

• Stars in the Network - The Night Sky Network’s list of top astronomy clubs for outreach. WASI is nearly always in the top two or three.

• Night Sky Network - A NASA-funded program that provides resources and support for astronomy outreach. On the News & Resources page you can search for articles and resources by description, topic/keyword, or category. You will find downloadable lesson plans, handouts, videos, and information about the various available toolkits.

• The Astronomical Society of the Pacific - Another organization dedicated to promoting astronomy and providing resources for educators and the public. They offer a variety of resources in partnership with The Night Sky Network and additional resources for educators, and amateur and professional astronomers.

• NOIRLab - The National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory is the US national center for ground-based, optical astronomy. They also manage a number of educational programs for the public and educators. NOIRLab has teacher guides, videos, and a wealth of other information on the latest developments in astronomy.

• NASA’s Learning Resources - NASA offers educational programs, webinars, and wide variety of other resources for educators and students of all ages.

• Space Place by NASA - A website with games, activities, and educational resources for younger kids. Even if your presentations are aimed at a more general audience some of these resources will keep the younger members of your audience engaged.

• The Astronomical League - The Astronomical League has a series of “Navigating the Night Sky” guides that are useful for outreach events. These guides cover various topics in astronomy and are focused on objects and events currently visible in the night sky.

• NASA’s What’s Up - NASA publishes monthly videos about the night sky.

Planetarium Shows

The Bear Branch Nature Center Planetarium is an invaluable resource for astronomy public outreach. In addition to regular monthly shows and special events, organizations and groups are encouraged to schedule private shows for their members.

For other events and presentations, the Stellarium planetarium software is a great tool for learning the night sky and can easily be incorporated into your presentations. It is free and open source software that can be installed on a laptop or desktop computer. It has a wide range of features and can be used to create custom shows for outreach events.