2009
is a big year for astronomy. Deemed the International Year of Astronomy, 2009
celebrates the 400th anniversary of the telescope, the 400th
anniversary of Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion, and the 40th
anniversary of the lunar landing.
NASA works diligently to spread the word in the astronomy community to those
who are already interested in astronomy as a hobby, four months in, it is
appearing that the hobby is dying a slow death. As Tim Collins says, who is
perhaps more readily known as Mr. Galaxy or the senior operator at the
Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium, “Whether it’s from the lack of a manned space
program, or just that so many people don’t realize how much of the night sky
we’ve lost due to light pollution, it’s clear that interest in astronomy,
especially a place like Buffalo, is diminished.”
there were ever a year to turn it around, and turn our attention back to the
skies, this is it.
The
Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium holds public observations at
Tickets are $5 each and go on sale 30 minutes before each show. The Planetarium
is located on the Buffalo State Campus at
wealth of information for visitors on the Planetarium’s website, or the office number
is 716.878.4911.
As
this is the International Year of Astronomy, there must also be an International Day
of Astronomy. From
the Buffalo Astronomical Association (BAA) presents International Astronomy Day
at the Buffalo Museum of Science (1020 Humboldt Parkway).
Members
of the BAA will show visitors the sights in their backyard in a whole new
light. Novice astronomers can peep through telescopes to observe the sun and
observe prominences leaping from the edges of the solar disk. On a walking tour
of the solar system, visitors can also see how craters on the moon are formed.
Walkers take warning: The solar system is BIG, and it’s advised that sneakers
are worn because the walk is a long one. Later that evening at
Observatory.