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Astronomy is one of the most popular, engaging, and romantic of the sciences. Research shows that it serves as an ideal
vehicle for awakening latent interest in the sciences in young people, not to mention the forgotten scientific interests of adults.
So we consider it our civic responsibility to engage the public in astronomy through a variety of activities:
- Public television programming through UWTV and other
local outlets. A typical taped broadcast is shown on UWTV dozens of times.
There offerings require professional editing, particularly when high-quality color images are a key part of the presentation.
- An annual Open House in which we feature a dozen professional
speakers, various demonstrations, planetarium shows, star viewing.
These affairs are aimed at the K-12 students and their parents. Typical attendance is 500 people.
- Systematic collaborations with K-12 teachers in schools throughout Puget Sound. Our
faculty, graduate and undergraduate students, and interested amateur astronomers from the Seattle area find this a rewarding way to work with teachers and to supplement the
science teaching and learning in public and private schools. Special events are arranged for the classes throughout the year. Coordination of the program requires outside support
(outreach cannot be funded from state budgets at U.W.).
- Friday planetarium shows for K-12 students. The Astronomy
Department enlists undergraduate and graduate students to offer as many
as three planetarium shows per week on campus. The program runs at capacity, which was 3500 students in 2001-2. See the program's
web pages for more information.
- Observatory Open Houses. The old campus observatory is staffed
the first and third Wednesday evening of every month when school
is in session for drop-in visits and public viewing trough our antique 5-inch telescope at the north end of campus. Visitors are
also offered public lectures (by our undergraduate majors) as they wait for access to the telescope. The program runs in all weather.
As many as 200 people have shown up even when the weather is cloudy! Although the program is run by volunteers, the old telescope is in
constant need of maintenance. Funds are also used to develop wall displays with new images and results.
See the program's web pages for more information.
We have established a special fund for outreach activities. Various examples of how funds would be invested are listed below.
Many other types of activities can be developed in consultation with donors.
Moderate donations are welcome via the secure web site marked "donate now".
We urge donors to
contact us
before making substantial contributions so that we may direct your funds appropriately.
Astronomy Outreach Fund
donate now
contact us for more information
The 6-inch historical telescope on the U.W. Campus:
This facility is one of the crown jewels in U.W.'s public outreach program. Built in 1895, the campus observatory is still
in operation, although its research days are long over. The observatory is opened for public viewing and teaching twice per month.
Staffed by volunteer undergraduates, the viewing and the public lectures excite well over 2000 people per year, including many
families with children. The funds will be used to extend the program in order to provide additional educational opportunities
for more people, to advertise, and to support ongoing operations and equipment refurbishments. $2,000 per year is needed.
A New Public Lecture Series in Astronomy for UWTV:
Three lectures were taped for UWTV in about 1997 and aired periodically ever since. They have been a
spectacular success, reaching an audience estimated to be 9 million viewers (most of them repeat watchers). New talks must replace
older ones as research in astronomy progresses. We propose to develop and videotape one new lecture per year for three years. The
production costs are $10,000 per lecture. Videos would feature the names of the contributors.
Public outreach program:
The Astronomy Department excels in public outreach. The benefits to the Department and to U.W., not to mention regional
students and their parents, are huge. Our program includes planetarium shows to K--12 classes, public observing evenings at
the campus observatory, and an annual open house attended by about 500 people. Also, "Project Astro" pairs our staff and
regional astronomers with local K--12 teachers and classrooms. We need to procure new expendable materials for public
presentations (e.g., constellation finders, information packets, dry ice to make comets), and to make emergency repairs to
our planetarium, video equipment, etc. Contributions of up to $10,000 would be particularly effective.
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