If you see a good movie, you recommend it. Find a good restaurant, you can’t wait to spread the word. It’s human nature to share things we enjoy. That’s at the root of Starry Messengers. We have a passion for astronomy and want to share it with others.
Each year, the TAAA’s extensive outreach program puts our members in contact with about 10,000 people at schools, churches, parks, and community centers. And, still more people are reached during the week-long Grand Canyon Star Party which is coordinated by the TAAA annually.
There are multiple levels of engagement as a Starry Messenger.
SMSIG Meetings
The SMSIG meeting is where we discuss upcoming major outreach opportunities that are taking place in the Tucson area. We use our meetings to share our outreach experiences and to come up with new ways to explain astronomical principles to youth and adults in ways that are easy to understand. Any TAAA member interested in outreach is welcome to attend the SMSIG meetings. Many of our meetings are held on Zoom.
Activity Guides
The success of the TAAA outreach program depends on volunteers. In addition to members bringing their telescopes to our outreach events, our SMSIG Activity Guides bring hands-on projects which assist the public in understanding astronomical concepts. Projects are grouped into themed toolkits that primarily come from NASA’s Night Sky Network but some activities have been developed by SMSIG members. It’s very satisfying when someone comes to understand astronomical concepts on their own using our hands-on activities. When they suddenly see the light, faces brighten and they can’t help but smile. You’ve given them a personal experience of something greater than themselves. SMSIG meeting attendance is optional for our Astronomy Guides.
Library Telescope Program
The Library Telescope Program is described elsewhere on the website, but this program requires volunteers to keep it going. The librarians in Pima and Cochise counties take care of loaning the telescopes and checking them on their return. The TAAA remains the experts when the telescopes need maintenance. When a telescope is added to the program, we make all the modifications to make them ready for public use. We also conduct training programs for the librarians when a telescope is added to a collection, and we host library events to encourage the use of the telescopes.
Astronomy Achievement Awards
The TAAA presents the TAAA Astronomy Achievement Awards at the SARSEF Regional Science and Engineering Fair. These are cash awards given at multiple levels to young scientists that have completed an astronomy related science fair project. Three SMSIG members review qualifying science fair projects and decide which to award.
