Here is some information about the Taylor Elementary School
Astronomy Night (Space Night).

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= Links to web resources ==
Here are some interesting links:
 * http://skytonight.com/observing/ataglance
 * http://www.astrosociety.org/education/astro/astropubs/htm_events.html
 * http://www.astrosociety.org/education/family.html
 * http://www.dustbunny.com/afk/index.html - Astronomy for Kids
 * http://www.athropolis.com/links/const.htm - Constellation links for Kids

Here are some star charting sites:
 * http://www.mystarslive.com/
 * http://www.fourmilab.ch/yoursky/#Telescope - virtual telescope
 * http://www.fourmilab.ch/yoursky/ - yoursky (hard to use, always defaults to "now")

Free Star Charts software:
 * http://www.stargazing.net/astropc/ - Cartes du Ciel (open source, for windows)
 * http://edu.kde.org/kstars - KStars (KDE planetarium software)
 * http://www.stellarium.org/ - Stellarium (planetarium software)
 * http://www.shatters.net/celestia/gallery.html - Celestia (touring software)

Handouts:
 * http://www.taas.org/education/sspsched.html - some nice handouts

= Session Ideas =
Session ideas:
 * how does a telescope work?
 * planet intro - slide show
 * space craft - making a solar system model (hangar, string, and colored paper)
 * learning constellations - constellation search
 * observing
   * tips - preserving night vision
   * what to look for (stars, nebulae, galaxies, planets, moon, sun)
   * how to find stuff (star charts, constellations, naked eye, binoculars, telescopes)
 * free planetarium software

What to prepare:
 * materials for planet mobiles
 * scripts for lecture sessions and games
 * observation list for users
 * red plastic wrap and rubber bands
 * observation list for telescopes
 * star charts for Jan 25

What users should bring:
 * warm clothes
 * flashlight
 * binoculars or own telescope
 * USB stick?

Make your own Constellation viewer:
 * materials = file folder, black construction paper, constellation patterns, tape, flashlight
 * instructions
 * recognizing constellations - 

= Committee =
 * Tim Bird - observation
 * Nadine Bird - computer lab, promotion
 * Nasrin Shamloo - 408-224-3116, nbiglari (at) sbcglobal.net
    greeter
 * Ed Macalolooy - Tasco 375 telescope with 114 mm reflector and equatorial mount - will come at 6:30 and help with sky observation
   * contact info: 408-226 1087, or edward.macalolooy (at) gmail.com
 * Mr. Ecter - 226-0587 or 226-0591
 * Susan Paxton - 408-281 1661, jcasepaxton (at) comcast.net
 * Genvieve Dorsey - 408-927 7933 , instaswmr (at) aol.com

== Stations ==
 * Crafts: Mr. Ecter
   * Star Charts
   * Star Projector
 * Planetarium/Solar System Tour
 * Astronomy Quiz
 * Taylor Observatory

== Telescopes ==
 * Carlene Wallace - ??
 * Barbara Bailey - 3-inch refractor, U mount - Moon
 * Tim Bird - 3 inch reflector, camera mount (bad) - Moon
 * Ed Macalolooy - ??
 * Greg Shepherd - 8 inch relfector (Meade) - great nebula
 * Dale Smith - ? inch reflector (Celestron) - Pleiades

= Materials Checklist =
 * solar system mural
   * foam stuff
   * white poster board (for rings)
   * paint
   * white paint
   * black paper
 * greeter table
   * table
   * handout
   * treats
 * space crafts:
   * instruction sheet for star projector
   * instruction sheet for star chart
   * constellation posters??
   * award stars
 * astronomy quiz:
   * quiz handouts
   * launch web page
   * award stars
 * observatory:
   * table for observatory
   * extension cord
   * fact sheet for observatory
   * laser pointer
   * award stars
 * planetarium
   * planetarium
   * laser pointer
   * script - what constellations to show?
 * star tour
   * demo script
   * laptop
   * narrator script
   * projector
   * award stars


= Night checklist =
 * 6:15 - help Greg Shepherd get telescope to Taylor
 * 6:30 - get power cord for observatory
 * 6:45 - help observatory volunteers site objects
 * 6:45 - set up greeter, observatory tables 
 * 6:30 - put up station signs 
 * 6:30 - put up mural
 * 6:45 - test projector and planetarium
 * 6:45 - set up astronomy books in library
 * 6:50 - everyone at stations