Camp Cullom

Indiana Family Star Party
and
Indiana GreatCON 2013 Review
Prairie Grass Observatory logo
Indiana Astronomical Society
Muncie Astronomy Club
Wabash Valley Astronomical Society
Sky Trekker is the work of several individuals, but most notably Lisa Wieland.  She worked to bring the program into existance, created the program booklet used by the kids each year and organizes the event each year.  The Sky Trekker program was featured in the March 2009 issue of the Astronomical League's "Reflector" magazine. The originally submitted article is available here.
Lisa addresses the judges to make sure that the judges know what is expected from them under the night sky.
The evening program is geared around three levels: junior, beginner and advanced. All programs start with an introduction to the night sky. Junior level provides a way of our youngest astronomers to start learning about the night sky. They need to find the Big Dipper and the North Star. Beginner level requires that the kids identify three bright stars and six constellations or asterisms. The advanced program required that the student complete the beginner level and then be able to find three of five types of deep sky objects: Nebulas, Globular clusters, open clusters, double stars or galaxies. Additionally, they had to sketch a solar system object. Students who participated took home their study guide and a planisphere.
Students had to use the Smart Board due to the weather to show that the class paid attention and knows where to find objects in the night sky to qualify for a Dilly Bar (curtiousy of Dairy Queen)! While the Smart Board was great to use, it was decided that next year we would not use it.