A local astronomical club member says awareness about the night skies is growing amid preparations for both a Guinness world record attempt tonight and a Sidewalk Astronomy event on Friday.
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The Astronomical Society of Victoria Bendigo Section’s Brien Blackshaw said more people were becoming aware of astronomy.
“Trying to get a man on the moon was pretty extreme stuff but we now trying to reach very distant places – crashing into Saturn and taking amazing pictures of Pluto,” he said.
“A lot of these things are quite incredible and people are starting to realise there is a lot of stuff going on. It’s as easy as getting onto certain websites and tracking what’s happening.”
Mr Blackshaw said that in the past five years telescopes had become cheaper and now had more technological features.
The 1st Castlemaine Pioneer Scout Group was inviting people down to the local scout hall to take part in a Guinness World Record Attempt tonight.
The group wanted to be part of a record attempt for the most people stargazing across multiple venues.
Participants across Australia will stargaze at the moon through a telescope or binoculars for a ten minute period and the event would include a live screening of Stargazing Live with Brian Cox.
Scouts Bendigo district commissioner David Farrell said children from his organisation as well as and Guides would be taking part.
“Not many kids get the chance to take part in a world record attempt. So to be able to take part in a Guinness World Record Attempt is quite an attraction,” he said.
He said it would also be a chance for young Scouts and Guides to work towards space and astronomy badges.
Because Astronomical Society of Victoria members would attend, children would have the chance to see the sky from an astronomy enthusiast’s perspective, Mr Farrell said.
On Friday, the Astronomical Society of Victoria Bendigo Section would hold Sidewalk Astronomy, to view the sights of the solar system and beyond.
Registration for Wednesday’s Castlemaine event would take place at 7pm and the world record attempt would take place between 8 and 9 pm, weather permitting.
It would take place at the 1st Castlemaine Scout Hall, 16 Reckleben St, Castlemaine. A gold coin donation would be appreciated.
Friday’s Bendigo event would take place from 5.30pm, weather permitting, at the Discovery Science and Technology Centre. A gold coin donation would be appreciated.
The Weather Channel app was predicting a partly cloudy night with a low of 6 degrees.
If you get any pictures of tonight’s sky we would love to see them. Message us on Facebook or email addynews@fairfaxmedia.com.au
Tom O'Callaghan
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
