Astronomy magazine’s Discover the Universe program has helped groups all over the world inspire people with the power of the cosmos. Today’s international entry is extra special for me, however, because it marks the first update from my homeland of Puerto Rico. Gustavo Sánchez of the Astronomy Society of the Caribbean (Sociedad de Astronomia del Caribe) tells us more:
The Astronomy Society of the Caribbean (Sociedad de Astronomia del Caribe) held two Discover the Universe events in tropical Puerto Rico. // photo by Gustavo Sánchez
Puerto Rico, a sunny Caribbean island of beautiful beaches and a yearlong warm climate, was the venue for two
Discover the Universe outreach events, sponsored by the Astronomical Society of the Caribbean (ASC) and
Astronomy magazine.
The first event took place January 28 in the city of Dorado, on the island’s north coast near San Juan. We made a great effort to promote this event through the local media and social networks, so it was gratifying to find a great audience for the evening’s events. The ASC provided a sizable number of telescopes for everyone, as well as educational booklets to hand out. The scopes ranged from small refractors to large Dobsonians, so the attendees had a variety of instruments to observe the heavens with. The weather grew worrisome, however, when several rain clouds rolled in shortly after the observing sessions began. The sad truth is the heavens never cleared up fully, denying us the majestic Moon and planets we were so eager to see.
The first event, held January 28, proved too cloudy for much observing, but the club still made the most of the gathering and shared astronomical knowledge and telescope know-how with the crowds. // photo by Gustavo Sánchez
We learned a valuable lesson here, because even if the observation part of the event couldn’t happen, outreach involves much more than just showing someone a planet through a telescope. Many people had brought their own scopes, and most of them didn’t know how to use them. We had such a good time sharing knowledge with the enthusiastic public that even without a clear sky, about a hundred people still hung around and enjoyed the friendly science gathering our event had become.
We got another chance at success February 25, and this time the sky provided a few spectacular sights to enhance the occasion. The planned conjunction of Venus and Jupiter, together with the Moon, created a great sight that more than 1,000 attendees had the pleasure to observe. This time around, the weather was mostly clear, so the crowds could see various lunar craters, the cloud bands around Jupiter, its Galilean moons, and the shiny surface of Venus’ atmosphere.
he second event, on February 25, proved a complete success, with more than 1,000 people witnessing the conjunction of Venus, Jupiter, and the Moon, along with various other celestial sights. // photo by Joxelle Velázquez/Gustavo Sánchez
This second event was a complete success, especially when we saw parents supporting their children’s dreams of becoming astronauts or astronomers. We would like to thank the hundreds of people who waited patiently in line to take a glance at the skies for their interesting questions and comments as they saw Jupiter, Mars, Venus, or the Moon through our telescopes for the first time. The best part was the educational aspect, which included the excellent material and handouts we’d gotten from
Astronomy magazine, witnessing many satellites crossing overhead, and exhibitions of ASC President Eddie Irizarry’s space rocks.
These two Discover the Universe events were a great opportunity for city folk to observe the great astronomical sights that are visible even under urban skies. The huge success of the second event showed just how much interest we have on the island toward astronomy, and the ASC is making a great effort to bring the beautiful science of astronomy to the local population. Thanks again to Astronomy magazine’s Discover the Universe program, which supports the amateur astronomy community and organizations in expanding their outreach efforts.
You’re very welcome, Gustavo! Congratulations on your two events, each successful in their own way — I only wish I could have been there to see them for myself! If you want to know how Astronomy magazine’s Discover the Universe program can help your club, please email me at bandrews@astronomy.com.