Wednesday 15 January 2014

How grey is amateur astronomy?


(in the tent at Starfest 2013, pic © me)


I've just read "The "Greying" of Amateur Astronomy" by Ken Hewitt-White in the latest "Skynews". How "Grey" is amateur astronomy?  Perhaps I'm thinking about time, age and change more on this day of my birth and another trip around the sun more than on another day.  And taking the whole "grey" thing a bit personally.   But there is still a very fixed demographic in amateur astronomy.  I'm seeing more women, kids, younger people, students and visible minorities involving themselves in astronomy, even through the primary population is guys.  Older guys. 

My astronomy club has also been concerned with this trend.  Run by volunteers, there is a core group of dedicated members that keeps things ticking along.  As change comes, it needs to be from the volunteers who dedicate their time and energy towards making change.   However, change does not come easily.  I've been lobbying for years to get our club to have our meetings on Friday nights so that kids could perhaps come and stay up a bit later.  We currently have meetings on Wednesdays, and I haven't been to a meeting since June.  That's my decision of course - but sometimes meetings go until 10pm - too late for me during the week.   For the most part, it's not a deal breaker.  There are many more non-weekday events to involve myself in, during warmer months at least.

We've recently updated the website, and use Facebook and Twitter.

However, I also find older people tend to pooh-pooh social networking.  AKA "that Twitter thing".

It was from Twitter that I was able to participate in not one but two Canadian Space Agency tweetups, where I met a lot of like minded space aficionados my age or younger (and yes, i was in the room at the Canadian Space Agency when William Shatner was talking to Chris Hadfield.  Oh, and then I spoke to Chris Hadfield. In space).    It was through Facebook that I found out about the Yuri's night event in Toronto, and also the amazing Mars Rover Curiosity landing party.  Yuri's Night and the Curiosity landing party was spearheaded by Jonathan Moneta - with great enthusiasm and passion.

Let's not forget the "I Fucking Love Science" event at the Ontario Science Centre.  All very well attended by young people.  A few familiar faces there, not a lot of my astronomy club colleagues were there though.

There's also a very active astronomy club at York University; not only do they observe at their observatory, but also host an online radio show Monday nights.  "York Universe".

The David Dunlap Observatory has a steady stream of visitors young and old every year, young volunteers (granted, they're getting community hours, but they seem to enjoy it!).

The interest is there, it's just that astronomy clubs aren't always doing the kind of fun events (like I've just mentioned) to attract younger members, or don't know how to reach them.  It could start with a tweetup.  It does not have to be on a big expensive scale.

I enjoy  Ken Hewitt-White's articles in "Skynews" magazine.     The latest edition included the back inner cover of his musings, and how the amateur astronomy is aging and not being replaced by new generations.  I don't see doom and gloom everywhere.  In fact, the last couple of years have been studded with many events that have confirmed to me that there is an interest in astronomy with a younger demographic.