Public Outreach For Astronomy Clubs

The public gathers at the University of North Alabama's
observatory to watch the Transit of Venus.

The Venus Transit in the summer of 2012 just so happened to be one of the most exciting astronomical events for the members of the Shoals Astronomy Club . The turnout was great, the views were spectacular and everyone there seemed to walk away feeling a little educated, a little awed and a little more interested in what was going on in the sky above their heads. The last part is the most important part because it’s hard to get people interested in astronomy these days. But events like the Venus Transit give smaller astronomy clubs the opportunity to do something fun and exciting with the public that will make it all worth the effort in the end. Even if one child walks away infused with wonder and the hunger for knowledge, then the event has been a successful one.

With the ISON comet coming up, the astronomy forums and blogs are beginning to buzz with talk of comets and observation tips. People are getting curious about what the heck is going on with this whole comet deal, and for some it’ll be the first comet they’ve ever seen. Hopefully it’s as bright as they predict it will be. So we will see. But this year things like the ISON comet and the recent PANN STARRS (for those of you who are able to see it) provide the perfect community outreach program opportunities for amateur astronomy clubs everywhere. But to get the local community interested, it's important to let them know what your club is doing to begin with.

There is a lot of debate about the effectiveness of club literature, but one thing is for certain: The more items a club can put out there with their name on it, the more exposure they’ll gain. This is true of everything from small printed pamphlets to large billboard signs. Most astronomy clubs don’t have the funds for the large billboard signs, so pamphlets would be their best bet. And the internet is full of free advertising sites. There’s also social media, of course. It’s important to utilize the internet for astronomy club announcements and the like because that’s where most of the astronomers that are on the cutting edge of astrophysics and cosmology are posting their findings and carrying on their discussions. The internet is also where people go to find out about these kinds of things as well and so it’s important that astronomy clubs have at least someone in their group who can write and write decently. It doesn’t have to be fancy or include a lot of details. But it will need to include some basic information about the club, what they do, and what they’re about. The importance of a good writer in an astronomy club should not be overlooked. Someone should be selected to do it and let that be their primary responsibility.

Mailing lists are perhaps the best way to update those who are following the group’s activities to make them

The yellow arrow points to Venus as it transits. The orange
is pointing at a sunspot. (Courtesy of the Shoals Astronomy
Club)

aware of public outreach events and club viewings. A simple newsletter that’s forwarded to all of those on the mailing lists will suffice most of the time. General astronomy announcements can be included in the body of the newsletters as well as photos from previous astronomy events. It’s also wise to include articles and interviews with the officers of the club regarding their thoughts on what the next year or several months might have in store. Star-gazing tips and a welcome letter for beginners who are new to the club are also important because the more welcome a new club member feels, the more likely they are to stay with the club and participate. And one thing that may seem obvious but is so often the root of the problems within astronomy groups is this: Keep the discussions between the members and those on the mailing lists limited to astronomy. There is no need to bash political beliefs, religious beliefs, or involve any kind of discussion which might generate negativity. Present things that are most relevant to the club. Club members will be coming from all kinds of backgrounds, with varying levels of interest and astronomy knowledge. A club that continually offends the newcomers and the established members is a club that is doomed to eventually fail. Astronomy clubs should be about unity and strength in sharing a common interest. Make like the solar system and pull yourselves together!

While it may seem trivial and even difficult at first, it’s important that if the club has a social media page that it is continuously updated. A page that has gone “silent” is not likely to be a page looked over by those interested in astronomy. And there are also opportunities to host webinars or upload videos regarding instructions on how to operate a telescope or locate certain star formations in the sky(An example of an astronomy video can be seen here ). An account with a video-hosting website of some kind can be indispensable. It’s the perfect place to post slideshows of past astronomy events so that people can see what the club is about. So always keep the posts and updates rolling. How often you want to update a page also determines what kind of outlet you want to use. A blog may not be the best media outlet for a small club who meets occasionally because they may not have enough content to constantly update the blog. Meanwhile, media outlets like Facebook and Twitter accounts are best suited for astronomy clubs that perhaps don't need to continuously update their members on current events. 

However, community outreach involves more than just posting events on the webpage and handing out pamphlets. Sometimes local newspapers will run free ads for community events and even local radio stations will pitch in and make announcements for the club. If the person who is dealing with the community outreach is tactful enough, they can swing a free radio spot if they find a broadcasting station that is sympathetic towards the club's cause. Also, it’s a good idea to talk to any local college professors who may be involved in physics or science programs. Attending a club meeting may be the perfect opportunity for them to give their class extra credit or to take a field trip. It's good to be upfront about your goals for the club and how the club may benefit the students. This is free promotion and should be taken advantage of. If it can be arranged astronomy clubs should also try doing events for local schools as well. When doing something like presenting to an elementary school, it's important not to bore the students with facts and figures, but to keep them interested with projects, fun trivia and handouts. If an astronomy club wants a community presence, then they should go out and be present in the community.

When an astronomy club starts to get serious about public outreach and starts to build a membership, they may want to apply for recognition by the Night Sky Network . The Night Sky Network gives a lot of aide to astronomy clubs for outreach programs. Since the Night Sky Network is so closely affiliated with NASA, it also lends to the club a kind of legitimacy. Night Sky Network will also have benefits for the members of the clubs it recognizes, so this can be something that appeals to those who are looking for an astronomy club to join. The FAQ section on their website covers all the qualifications here .

Finally, no matter what a club does it's always important to try and educate the general public about astronomy. Our primary goal is to be educators. It's our responsibility to generate discussions about astronomy, interest in the programs we support and to increase the public's awareness of what's going on in our solar system, our galaxy and our universe. So long as an astronomy club and its members maintain this as their sole objective above all else, then it will hold the interest of their members and continue to acquire new ones. This is what makes up a successful astronomy club and will determine the future of the public's interest in what we do.