https://www.reddit.com/r/Astronomy/comments/1ia9rkm/astronomy_clubactivities_for_adults/
created by myadriftsoul on 26/01/2025 at 08:54 UTC*
3 upvotes, 8 top-level comments (showing 8)
Hi everyone,
I have started an astronomy club (i wouldn't say a club) but sort of like that in my area.
What are the activities that can be done for/with adults apart from going out of the city for stargazing? I do organize the weekly sessions where I show the planets and moon and we have some discussions. What else can i do?
Edit: Thanks a lot everyone. Comments were really helpful.
Comment by Rebeldesuave at 26/01/2025 at 09:11 UTC
5 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Find out which of the local colleges have astronomy departments. Contact them and arrange for their staff to visit your meetings as guest speakers.
Comment by tralfaz57 at 26/01/2025 at 10:08 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Do public observing nights. Last week was a great time for planets nights as there was plenty of free publicity from the media. Special events for eclipses are also fun activities
Comment by roywill2 at 26/01/2025 at 13:10 UTC
3 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Read about Galileo and reproduce his observations with his little telescope. He saw moons of Jupiter and phases of Venus, and from those knew the nature of the solar system. Then the Pope kicked his arse.
Comment by snogum at 26/01/2025 at 10:05 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Guest Speakers, How to Sessions, Moon Nights, Astro classes, Public Viewing Nights and Dark Sky Events.
Comment by ramriot at 26/01/2025 at 13:44 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
From memory of the club's in my city's public outreach programs:-
The Key thing I've seen about public outreach is to be as inclusive as possible & publicise widely. If you are ever stuck for ideas start a dialog with other clubs & like minded organisations into the realm of collaboration & assistance.
Comment by twilightmoons at 26/01/2025 at 15:37 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Where are you located? That determines a lot about what you can do.
What local or state parks are near you with dark skies? Talk to the superintendents and see about doing public observing nights there, usually either the first or last quarter. We partner with a local nature reserve for star parties in town on the first quarter, and a state park an hour away on the last quarter, March through November.
Find a place for local in-person meeting, or at least Zoom meetings, or both. We use a large classroom of a local college on Tuesday evenings once a month. once you have regular meetings, you can get speakers to talk about stuff.
I run our club's YT channel, and do livestreams for meetings and virtual star parties. The meetings have the in-person part, and I tie in the zoom meeting for club members who can't make the drive. This also lets us bring in remote presenters. Take a look at one of the live meeting videos for a general structure and idea about what happens.
https://www.youtube.com/fortworthastronomicalsociety[1][2]
1: https://www.youtube.com/fortworthastronomicalsociety
2: https://www.youtube.com/fortworthastronomicalsociety
I am also a sort-of member of the Hawai'i club, which used to meet in-person, but now just does zoom meetings. Some members are on the Big Island, some on Maui or Oahu, one in California, one in New England, and two in Texas. Those meetings are often "freestyle", sometimes with a guest speaker, sometimes with member showing off new images or new kit. Those are just one-times on Zoom that don't get recorded or broadcast, so if you miss a meeting, too bad.
Advice as part of management - if you start it and want to be president, that's OK... but step back. It's a lot of work, and someone else may want a shot at running it. Beware also that a lot of members just want the benefits and not the work in running an organization, and that's fine too. We had a president who was reelected six times. There was nothing in the bylaws that said he couldn't. He finally just yelled that he won't serve again, someone else needs to do it, and to change the bylaws to prevent this. I was president when the pandemic started, and I was able to transition to zoom and livestreams to keep the club going. I just kept doing it and expanded it since.
Comment by darrellbear at 26/01/2025 at 16:31 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Have occasional public star parties, folks love them. And get the news out about them.
Comment by CondeBK at 26/01/2025 at 20:14 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Guest speakers. Workshops on amateur telescope making, smart telescopes, basic astrophotography, or any other number of topics.
Reach out to ZWO, SVbony, all the other big vendors and let them know you have an active astrophotography group. Even better if you have a social media presence with event photos, etc, that they can look at. They'll send you free equipment My group got a seestars s30 and a dwarf 3 plus a refractor from Svbony. All free to us.