Lake County (Illinois) Astronomical Society
Astronomy Day Overview
See our official Astronomy Day flyer.
Astronomy Day is an annual worldwide event intended to provide for interaction between the general public and various astronomy enthusiasts, groups and professionals. The Lake County Astronomical Society (LCAS) has held an annual Astronomy Day event during most every year of our 30 year history. For the last 10 years, LCAS has hosted Astronomy Day at the Volo Bog State Natural Area in Ingleside.
In 2012, LCAS desired to significantly increase our outreach and engagement with the community, and so we have found a new location and partnership to host the April 28, 2012 Astronomy Day event. LCAS has joined with the College of Lake County to hold the 2012 event. We hope that CLC will provide a better known and central location, that will allow us to better connect with the residents of Lake County, and perhaps will provide an added benefit of providing a fun event for the students, faculty and families of CLC.
Some of the door prizes we will be giving out.
LCAS Astronomy Day
Our Astronomy Day event is completely free, family friendly, and is conducted as one daytime event, and one evening event (weather permitting). Typical events and displays are listed below.
Day Time Events and Activities (Planned from Noon to 4pm)
- Solar Observing - using special telescopes and equipment (outdoors)
- 'Sun Fun' items - Interactive activities with children (outdoors)
- Tour a Scale Model of the Solar System (outdoors)
- Telescope Clinic - bring in your ailing telescope and get some help, or just learn all about the telescopes on display (great if you are thinking of buying a telescope)
- Hands on Telescopes - learn how to use our 'Kid Powered Telescope'
- Comet Making Demonstration - Dr. Comet will make a comet!
- Kids table - Crafts for very young astronomers
- Star Talks - short presentations on astronomy related topics
- Exhibits - Astrophotography, telescopes, light pollution, planetarium software, moon globe, moon maps, star maps, etc (this is dependent on what members volunteer and what they decide to exhibit). We will have many free handouts on the sky and about the hobby of astronomy (while they last). We will also have a 'club table' with club information.
- We plan to have a door prize drawing at 3:30 p.m. for nine or more items that have been donated or purchased by the club (you do not need to be present to win).
Night Time Events and Activities (Planned from 7pm to 10pm)
- Telescope Observing - members set up a variety of telescopes and provide amazing views of the night sky. Primary objects will be, the Moon, Mars, Saturn, and Venus.
- Kids will get free stickers and a glow stick bracelet.
REFERENCE INFORMATION:
Lake County Astronomical Society
The Lake County Astronomical Society (LCAS) is a 501(3)(c) organization, whose purpose is to promote the science of astronomy among its members and the public. LCAS currently has 116 members with varied interests and expertise in astronomy. LCAS meets monthly at the Volo Bog Visitor's Center in Ingleside, with a business meeting and a public program on astronomy. http://lcas-astronomy.org/
LCAS has multiple outreach activities beyond Astronomy Day. One worth highlighting is a program which is an alliance with Lake County Libraries that we call "Astronomy Under the City Lights" (AUTCL). Since the inception of AUTCL, we have provided views of the moon, planets, and other celestial objects well over 5,000 children and adults. We were one of 5 recognized leading clubs for outreach with our application to. Astronomy Magazine's "Out of This World" award
College of Lake County maps
