AAO #Scicomm events during Australian National Science Week 2017

The AAO organized and/or participated in 7 events during Australia’s National Science Week in August 2017, including the very successful and sold-out events “Star Tales of Winter Nights” and “Stargazing in the Park”.

Astronomers at the AAO’s “Star Tales of Winter Nights” event at the Powerhouse Museum during National Science Week 2017. From left to right: Adam Schaefer, Dr Devika Kotachery, Dr. Ángel López-Sánchez (MC), Carlos Bacigalupo and Rebecca Brown. Credit: Ángel López-Sánchez.

The event “Star Tales of Winter Nights”, hosted at Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum had a very similar structure than our ViVID Sydney Ideas events: 5 astronomers talking about science and later answering questions from the audience. The speakers were Rebecca Brown, Adam Schaefer, Dr Devika Kotachery, Carlos Bacigalupo and myself. This event was another big success for the AAO.

Setting up the telescopes for AAO’s “Stargazing in the Park” in Sydney’s Centennial Park. Credit: Ángel R. López-Sánchez.

AAO’s Ángel López-Sánchez, Stuart Ryder and Duncan Wright (from left to right) ready for “Stargazing in the Park” in Sydney’s Centennial Park. Credit: Ángel R. López-Sánchez.

On the other hand, the “Stargazing in the Park” in Sydney’s Centennial Park was another sold-out event, with more than 120 people enjoying first a short lecture about the AAO and introduction to stargazing and later looking at the sky through the telescopes.

AAO’s Stuart Ryder attending visitors at the AAO desk during the “Science and Tech” expo at Chatswood Library on Saturday 12th August. Credit: Ángel López-Sánchez.

During National Science Week 20017 the AAO also participated in two of the events organized by the recently created “North Sydney Science Hub” . First on Saturday 12th August in the “Science and Tech” expo at Chatswood Library, and later in the Public Discussion “Big Data And Visual Analytics – What is it good for?”, on Thursday 17th August, also at Chatswood Library, being myself one of the panelists of the discussion.

Panel for the Public Discussion “Big Data And Visual Analytics – What is it good for?”, on Thursday 17th August, also at Chatswood Library. From left to right: Mark Ballico (NMI), Tomasz Bednarz (Data61 and UNSW Art & Design), Angela (CSIRO) and Ángel R. López-Sánchez (AAO.MQU).  Credit: Ángel R. López-Sánchez.