National Astronomy Day 2004

Got your plans made for sharing Astro with the public? National Astronomy Day is Saturday, April 24. I'm going to be holding my 5th annual Walk Through the Solar System on that night. Features a true-to-scale model from the Sun to Pluto. The diameters and distances use the same scale determined by the large glass globe lit to represent the sun. 1 inch=56,105 miles and the walk is 1.1 mile long to reach Pluto. The county blocks off 2 miles of uninhabited, straight and level country road. Each participant gets a "passport" to be stamped at each planet by that planet's volunteer. They share a few interesting facts about that planet (shown by a small ball of the correct size and appearance-mounted in plastic on a desk) and then direct walkers to the next planet. A scope at each stop shows walkers that planet if it is up and the sky is clear. This year that will mean Venus, Moon, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. You're invited! (It's free.)