Astronomy Day kicks off this weekend

April 7, 2000
Web posted at: 4:30 PM EDT (2030 GMT)

From staff reports

(CNN) -- Devoted stargazers will share their love of astronomy with the general public on Saturday as clubs, science museums, observatories and other organizations around the world celebrate Astronomy Day.

"Astronomy Day is an annual celebration of how much fun it can be to watch the sky," says Kelly Beatty, senior editor of Sky & Telescope Magazine. "It's a time for skywatchers around the world to pause and share their love of the night sky with anyone who's willing to join them."

	FIND OUT MORE
For a listing of Astronomy Day events, check out: Sky & Telescope's Astronomical Directory Astronomy Day Handbook
	ALSO
Planets line up for early April spectacle
	MESSAGE BOARD
Stargazing

In many communities, members of local astronomy organizations will host evening "star parties" to let the public look through their telescopes, or they'll create colorful, informative displays at local malls, libraries or other locations to show what skygazing is all about, according to Sky & Telescope.

The occasion isn't just for insiders, Beatty says. On the contrary, it's a chance anyone who's never looked through a telescope to sample everything from simple setups to elaborate rigs costing thousands of dollars. Knowledgeable celestial tour guides will be on hand in most locations, Beatty said.

Astronomy Day is usually celebrated between mid-April and mid-May, on the Saturday closest to the first-quarter moon. This year's event was timed to coincide with an alignment of Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars in the evening sky.

Two planets smaller than Saturn found orbiting distant stars
March 30, 2000
Observatory reveals storms on Neptune, oceans on Titan
January 18, 2000
NASA announces missions to seek planets, study gamma rays
October 15, 1999

Astronomy Day.
Sky and Telescope Magazine

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.