StarGazing in the Desert

One of the most popular events we hold at the Imperial Valley Desert Museum is the StarGazing in the Desert. It's a great opportunity for people, especially families, who haven't been out to the museum before to check us out, there are arts and crafts for the kids, and a talk and astronomy photographs to see, as well as getting to actually look through telescopes.  We usually have 4-6 people bring out telescopes and set them up around the building so you can get different views.

Steve Benton and Neal Hitch checking out Jupiter

This was our sixth StarGazing party and the first where I have been one of the main people in charge. As the Museum Archivist at previous functions my job was to represent the museum, engage visitors,   make sure the volunteers had everything they needed (including taking over for them when they needed breaks), take photographs for our social media sites, work the gift shop, and anything else that came up. As Head Curator, this time I was doing all of the above but more of it and with more institutional responsibility on my head.

Overall it went really well. 165 people came, the talk on the Voyager missions was standing room only, a last minute raffle managed to raise enough money to pay for the event, and the new items I had picked up for the gift shop last week were a big hit.

Our volunteers were wonderful, helping with everything from telescopes and gift shop to snake patrol (walking around with a heavy duty flashlight and walking stick to light people's way when they were walking in the dark and surreptitiously keep an eye out for any unwanted snake visitors). Our idea for button making instead of clay was a hit and a lot easier to set up, break down, and clean up after.  I even got the chance to step outside and look at the stars myself! The Pleiades, Orion's Nebula, and Jupiter were out in full force last night- perfect, clear skies for viewing after a very cloudy night the night before, and I even saw Jupiter's 4 main moons and brown belts.  The new supernova wasn't visible from where we were, which was disappointing, but other than that you couldn't have asked for better.  The kids had a blast coloring and making buttons and looking through the telescopes. I heard several versions of "Stars are awesome!" as they ran from one telescope to the other.  Enthusiastic kids always give you a little extra boost when you look back on an event.

It all goes to show that a great group of volunteers and a lot of enthusiasm can make an event so successful that people can't wait to come back for the next time!

Steve and a junior astronomer excited over clear skies