In a quaint small town in southeastern Texas, our Outreach Program began when my eldest daughter's 6th-grade class delved into astronomy. Facing a lack of access to telescopes and the slow dial-up internet era, smart telescopes were merely the stuff of science fiction movies. Undeterred, we initiated Star Parties at our home, utilizing our 8-inch Celestron SCT on an ATG Celestron mount to introduce astronomy to local schools.

 

Soon, neighboring school districts began calling, showing interest in our outreach efforts. Upon relocating to Southern California, my wife, youngest daughter, and I launched a new Outreach Program, supported by Dwarf Lab and their cutting-edge Smart Telescope. Initially skeptical as an astronomer, I was astounded to find M31 right on my phone. With the assistance of Onoayo Projectors, we could project live stacked images in 4k to sizable audiences, eliminating the need for long lines at eyepieces. Large groups of families could comfortably marvel at the wonders of the night sky.

 

This newfound capability allowed us to extend assistance to families with their own telescopes. Thanks to Dwarf Lab's support, we established a Smart Scope Loaner program, offering telescopes to schools, libraries, Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, Orange County Parks, and Astronomy Clubs at no cost. Our services extend to Orange County, San Diego County, Riverside, and beyond.

We are a group of courageous pioneers who have embraced the technology of Smart Scopes to kindle the spirit of exploration and inspire young minds.

 

 

Astronomy Outreach

This organization was formed at the turn of the century as a free service to popularize and recognize individuals and organizations committed to the educational public outreach (EPO) in astronomy and space science.  You can learn how to get involved to help people in your community understand the wonders of the sky and the importance of science in our everyday lives by sharing your knowledge and telescope with the public.