Caloundra Council Moonwalk program - any Sidewalk Astronomers??

[Gargoyle_Steve]

Folks I've started this thread in General Chat because I just wasn't quite sure where to put it - if the Gods of Moderation think it belongs elsewhere please feel free to move it.

It has recently come to my attention that my local council runs a Moonwalking program - a walk held at 6 or 7 locations in the Caloundra area on just one night a month (which is on, or near, the full moon). The idea is for people to get off their butts and go outside, have a pleasant walk, enjoy the area, etc - all under the light of the full moon. It's linked to the Heart Foundation "Just Walk It" program and has government funding as well.

http://www.caloundra.qld.gov.au/website/cityServices/sports_rec/walk_it_moonwalking.asp

http://www.caloundra.qld.gov.au/website/cityServices/files/Moonwalking_2007.pdf


I've been thinking that this woud be a good opportunity to introduce members of the public to the wonders of the heavens above (at least the moon) in the style of John Dobson ..... "Come and look at the moon"

I've spoken to someone at local Council about this, she was quite interested (turns out she saw the ABC special on John Dobson a few weeks ago) but the person who is the co-ordinator of this scheme is away on leave. They have left my details for her and I hope to have discussions with her in the near future.

However .... full moon looms near again, in fact this coming Sunday (March 4th) and the full moon walk is on Monday evening (for some reason they never do the walks on weekends). I am planning on doing an ad-hoc telescope setup at or near one of the walk locations to see what sort of interest or reaction I may get.

Is anyone else interested in joining me Monday night for this, or possibly on future Moonwalk nights? I think this is a great scheme the Council has organised, and it makes a fantastic opportunity to attract other new astro-enthusiasts.

Mike if this works out well then possibly down the track I might talk to you about getting some IIS stickers and flyers ??

I'll keep you all posted as to what happens.
:thumbsup:

[wavelandscott]

Great idea!

Good luck with "evangalical" opportunity convert a few non believers...I hope that you "brainwash" er encourage more people to join the hobby!

I'm sure JD would be proud!

[matt]

Good stuff, Steve:thumbsup:

Hope it all goes well for you.

It's great sharing this passion with others.

[jjjnettie]

Good on ya Steve. If I didn't have to work I'd join you.
Good luck with it.

[[1ponders]]

Week nights! and a full moon!

I think you need to have a bit of quiet chat in their ears Steve. If it was on a weekend night (and the skies were clear :sad: ) I'd be happy to join you.

[astroron]

:hi: Steve,I think you would geta few more of us suncoasters if it was on a friday or saturday and maybe a first quarter moon:thumbsup:

[Gargoyle_Steve]

Yes I know what you mean re weeknights, full moon, etc - sadly that is the entire basis of council's whole plan around this walk thing. I'm just trying to see if something can be done to extend the theme they already have going and get some other people interested. Caloundra is too far from Nambour or Cambroon for you guys to come down, so just wish me luck instead.
;)
If anyone who lives in the area IS available & interested let me know, I think it could be an interesting experience.

After all it was the moon that John Dobson frequently used as his subject to tempt people into looking through a scope, so I guess I'll try it the same way. The moon is pretty much the only thing worth looking at around this time of the month anyway, so I guess it's observing time I wouldn't be using on other objects.

[starrynight]

To all you guys on the sunshine coast.The International Sidewalk Astronomy night is Saturday May 19th. 100s of scopes all over the world out on the streets. We will be in Byron Bay. Its warmer where you are!Get some local media coverage and you will have heaps of interest from the GP.

[Gargoyle_Steve]

Thanks for the reminder - I had seen the event listed and I'd love to get involved up this way as well but my roster shows me as working from 3pm to 11pm that date so it might be tricky.

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I thought I'd add a bit of an update to the Moonwalk program / public viewing tie in.

I went along to the Kings Beach walk location on the scheduled night, ie 5th March - sady it was a bit windy, especially right there near the rocks, and it was around 80% overcast as well. I didn't end up even unpacking the scope, and in fact despite the obvious beauty fo this particular location it is not condusive to setting up a scope for several reasons - visibe blowing salt spray and around a dozen large floodlights illuminating the enire beach area amongst them.

By the time the next moonwalk came along (Tuesday 5th April) I'd had a couple of phone calls with Council's Sport & Recreation co-ordinator, who in turn passed my number along to the walk leaders for 2 of the different locations. Council's official position was that they woudl not promote or advertise the telescope viewing add-on to the event as such, but neither did they throw any red tape at me, etc. I think unofficially they were quite interested to see how it would go.

Anyway on the appointed evening I took my 12" dob and the trusty ETX-70 along, and we were fortunate in that we enjoyed a very clear evening. Around a dozen moonwalkers turned up and all were quite intrigued by the chance to have a look through a telescope, and they were impressed to see the detail and how the moon actually looked up close. We guided them around the moon, etc, for about 10-15 minutes before they set off on their walk - about 5 minutes late, and some of them almost seemed unwilling to do the walk until I assured them we would still be there when they returned.

Right on cue (about 45 minutes later) the group returned and the majority came straight back to the scopes without so much as a break to catch their breath or a quick drink of water. The group members stayed around for another 45 minutes or so during which time we all looked at the moon, Saturn, the Jewel Box, we showed them the double stars in Alpha Centauri and Alpha Crucis, etc - anything we could still see while the full moon blazed away. Everyone was grateful that we came along and all were keen to know if we would come back again another night.

What was particularly gratifying was the fact that I could offer some useful info to a couple who had recently just received their first telescope! The gent in question had just retired and as a parting gift the company had bought him a new scope! This man and his wife were keen to use it as much as possible although they were unclear on details as to make and model, etc. It seems the company spent a few hundred dollars on some variety of refractor (possibly around 80mm) on a tripod mount. They are at the stage where they need to know where to look to find things so we were able to give them a few basic pointers as it were.

One thing I learned for next month - take plenty of paper to hand out website addresses :whistle: and to give and take phone numbers, email addresses, etc, for seriously interested people. I have now been "booked up in advance" for next month for one of the other walk sites so I'll post an update again afterwards.

=================================== =========

Anyone else in the Caloundra area who may be available, and interested in bringing along a scope (any size) and some enthusiasm, please get in touch and we'll arrange something.

The next Moonwalk evening is to be held on Wednesday the 2nd of May and walk locations span the area from Golden Beach through to Kawana Island - the actual walks go from appox 7:30 pm to 8:15 so if you can make it along either before or afterwards that would be great :thumbsup: but both would be even better!

[Sausageman]

I am impressed that the local council have decided to take this position.
I always enjoy showing people the night sky, I love the reaction I get from people who see the planets and the nebulae for the first time.
Well done to the Caloundra Council.
We need more like them.

Mike

[Gargoyle_Steve]

It's amazing what mighty tree may grow from a tiny acorn ..... I'm not saying local public awareness of Astronomy has reached the "mighty tree" level yet, far from it, but there is some brand new publicity growing locally this week here due to the combination of the Moonwalk program and my unofficial involvement in it, and the "blue moon" this Saturday.

The actual Moonwalk occurs Friday night (it's a policy thing, these are never held on actual weekends) so the Caloundra City Council have had a special "Blue-Moon Walk" flyer around for the last fortnight or so in an attempt to gather even more interest in the program, and I guess to try and make it an even more special event.

This has resulted in one of the journo's from the Caloundra City News (the local weekly paper) coming along to do a write up on the Moonwalk, and they are reportedly keen to get into the astronomy side of things as well and looking forward to having me there, telescope in hand. :thumbsup:

In addition to this one of the local radio stations ( I believe it's Hot FM 91.1) heard about the moonwalk, blue moon, etc, and they want to broadcast some quick info bites about the astronomical side of the blue moon as part of their morning show tomorrow. They got in touch with Caloundra Council, who apparently have me now listed as an Astronomy guy on their Resource list.... :rolleyes:

Long story short : I have just finished recording a 10 minute segment over the phone with the radio station. They won't be using it all, in fact it may get cut down to a minute or 2, but the point is this is all good PR for Astronomy in this community, which is precisely why I wanted to get involved with this in the first place.
:D

They radio station have promised to email me the sound files from the segments that get broadcast, and I'll be keeping my copy of the Caloundra City News when it arrives as well. I'll let you know how it all unfolds.

Cheers!

[iceman]

Great stuff Steve, well done!

[astroron]

:hi: Steve it was also in the Range News, a Maleny based local newspaper:) :thumbsup:

[jjjnettie]

May the skies be clear for you.

[Gargoyle_Steve]

Thanks for the encouragement Mike - coming from the bloke who has probably done more for amateur astronomy in Australia than near anyone else I appreciate that.

Thanks Ron, any chance you can keep a copy for me?

Much appreciated Jeanette, lets hope we all have clear skies for a while to make up for all the rubbish clouds we've had lately.

[ballaratdragons]

Onya Steve Dobson :lol: :thumbsup:

[Ric]

Top stuff Steve, you've done good mate.

Cheers