NASA Night Sky Network Outreach Awards

By Tom Campbell

As a member of the NASA Night Sky Network, the Brazos Valley Astronomy Club is able to award special certificates and pins to our members who participate in astronomy outreach. In 2023, BVAC members attended 36 events for a total of 99.5 volunteer hours and 6,470 people reached in our community.

The outreach pins this year are really nice. They represent the annular eclipse from last October and feature a sun on the main pin (complete with a few sunspots) and an attached secondary pin decorated to look like the Moon which can slide over the Sun.

The following members earned recognition from NASA NSN this year and I will be presenting these awards at the February club meeting.

Certificate Award (1+ events)

Karl Aufderheide
Dave Barry
Jade Hope
Randy Light
Tim Logan
Dharma Paladugu
Melanie Welch

Certificate + Pin Award (3+ events)

Warren Bracewell
Tom Campbell
Tim Cowden
Mark Spearman

Master Outreach award from the Astronomical League

Tom Campbell

Let me be the first to say "Congratulations" to those receiving an award and a big THANK YOU for helping to make our community more aware of our club and the beauty of our night sky.

If you didn't earn an award this year, but would like to, there are many more outreach opportunities for you in 2024. You can always check our website for the list of upcoming events and times at: https://brazosvalleyastronomyclub.org/outreach-activities.html. Sometimes weather and other circumstances will change the date or time. I try to keep the website as current as possible, so check back often.

Tom Campbell outreach coordinator standing with his telescope

Tom Campbell preparing for an evening of outreach activities.

If you are interested, but aren't sure what you can do, please contact me. You don't have to be an expert to be a big help. And you don't need your own telescope to help out, either. Here is an example of some of the things we could do if we had more volunteers at our events (in no particular order):

Telescope operators (We can't have too many of these. If you don't have a telescope, we can loan you one for the event.)
Event photographers (for newsletter and website - a smartphone will do nicely)
Hand out free stickers, etc. to the visitors
Activity guide (we have lots of astronomy demos and activities, we just need someone to run them)
BVAC recruiter (hand out club cards and information about club meetings)
Greeter (welcome visitors, take an estimated count of how many are in attendance, guide them where to stand in line, etc.)

Again, thanks to everyone who participated in club outreach.

BVAC members were presented with certificates of appreciation

BVAC members were presented with certificates and pins of appreciation at the February meeting.
Click image to see larger image.
Left to right: Tim Cowden, Tom Campbell, Warren Bracewell, Karl Aufderheide, Randy Light, Mark Spearman, Tim Logan

Tom Campbell

About the Author:
Tom Campbell is a software developer, children's book author, and NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador who is frequently seen sharing his love of the universe with others.

Website: http://astro.tomandjul.com/
Contact: contact@brazosvalleyastronomyclub.org