WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE PART?

Newport Area Environment Group is calling for Newport and Area residents to support Star Count 2014.

National Astronomy Week 2014 and CPRE are joining forces with the British Astronomical Association’s Campaign for Dark Skies to monitor the extent of light pollution.

You can help!  No equipment is needed, just a few moments of your time.  Please do your Star Count on any one day between Wednesday 26 February – Saturday 8 March (inclusive.)

You are asked to count stars within the constellation of Orion, which will be visible in the south-west sky from about 7pm. The main area of the constellation is bounded by four bright stars. The star count should not include these four corner stars – only those within this rectangular boundary – but do include the stars in the middle known as Orion’s three-star belt.

Make a count of the number of stars that can be seen with the naked eye (not with telescopes) and then enter your count onto the electronic survey form at www.cpre.org.uk/starcount

The animated picture on the right should show the area within which you should count the stars.

Teresa Grafton, FRAS, former Education Officer at the London Planetarium, who last October gave a talk on “Dark Skies over Pembrokeshire” at Newport Boat Club, will be happy to meet on Thurs 20th Feb in Unit 3, Eco-Centre, Lower St Mary St, at 6.30pm with those who would like to learn more.

Please phone Reg Atkinson for more info: 820-889 or atkinsonreg@talktalk.net