Astronomy Day is Saturday, May 2, 2009

April 30, 7:11 PMAstrology ExaminerMaria Barron

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Observatories and astronomy clubs in many U.S. states and a few other countries will be offering special opportunities for newcomers to start stargazing this Saturday, May 2, which is Astronomy Day. 

A schedule of activities is available here at the website of the Astronomical League, a coalition of 240 amateur astronomical societies that has offices in Kansas City, Mo. You can also check astronomyclubs.com to find listings of observatories, planetariums, museums and astronomy clubs in your area. The league schedules an Astronomy Day each spring and fall to promote the science. 

This year has also been declared the International Year of Astronomy by the International Astronomical Union and UNESCO. Their purpose is to encourage “the citizens of the world to rediscover their place in the universe through the day- and night-time sky, and thereby engage a personal sense of wonder and discovery.” 

Fascinating events are planned for the year, including several that highlight the cultural significance of the study of the stars and space and the ancient shared roots of astronomy and astrology. The European Society for Astronomy in Culture will hold its 17th annual meeting on Oct. 25-31 at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Alexandria, Egypt. The theme is “Astronomy and culture in the ancient Mediterranean and beyond.” 

Closer to home, the first Conference on Archaeoastronomy of the American Southwest is June 11-13 in Camp Verde, Arizona. These archaeoastronomers will focus on the cycles of time and space as recorded in petroglyphs, passed down in stories and left in other clues by the ancient cultures of the region.