People email me wondering how they can take their interest in space and astronomy to the next level. Either by volunteering their time and money to some worthwhile cause, or picking up a telescope or space book to learn more about the hobby. I was thinking of adding a new section to Universe Today that lists 101 things you can do to get involved, so I started brainstorming. I got to 50 or so before I started slowing down, so I figured I'd get your help. I was thinking I could expand on these ideas with more detailed articles in Universe Today to help explain all the details, step by step.

So, these are ways you can either support the space industry with your money and involvement, or get more connected with astronomy. I'd love to hear your ideas.

Here's my list:

1. invest in space-related companies
2. switch to a satellite dish
3. buy books about space and astronomy, give them as gifts
4. join a space society (Planetary Society, National Space Society, Mars Society, etc)
5. fight for darker skies in your area (http://www.darksky.org for more details)
6. buy a telescope and learn how to use it
7. take your telescope to public places and let strangers look through it (this is called Sidewalk Astronomy)
8. write your local or national government regarding space issues
9. watch the Discovery Channel, TLC, PBS. Write thank you letters when they show space-related programs.
10. convince your local cable provider to offer NASA TV
11. become an amateur rocketeer
12. support your country's space agency (or criticize them, which ever is more productive)
13. donate your money to space research, universities, space societies - or Universe Today ;-)
14. come out of the closet... admit you're a space fan to your friends and family. You aren't alone.
15. make a presentation at your kid's school about something current in space, like the Mars rovers
16. rich? put down your deposit for an upcoming space tourism flight
17. go to a star party
18. join an astronomical society
19. make a billion dollars in computers and then start a rocket company (http://www.spacex.com/)
20. attend a Yuri's Night (http://www.yurisnight.net/), or organize one in your region
21. get involved with World Space Week (http://www.spaceweek.org)
22. get satellite radio (http://www.xmradio.com or http://www.siriusradio.com)
23. write an op/ed or informational article for your community newspaper
24. join a space-related discussion forum (and I know just the one)
25. take a space holiday (Houston, Cape Canaveral, Hawaii, Kazakhstan)
26. go to your local planetarium, science centre or IMAX theatre
27. attend a free or paid lecture at your local university/college
28. set aside money for your kids' education. No pressure though...
29. install SETI@home (http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/)
30. donate your time for a space-related group, help build a rocket ship (http://www.xprize.org), sign up for the Mars Society's research programs (http://www.marssociety.org)
31. debunk pseudoscience wherever you find it
32. educate yourself. Get your degree in science, or take some part time astronomy courses over the Internet (http://astronomy.swin.edu.au/)
33. donate your space/astronomy books to your local library
34. make a space homepage/blog
35. enjoy some good science fiction
36. learn your constellations (http://www.skymaps.com)
37. sign a space petition (save Hubble, etc.)
38. do geocaching (http://www.geocaching.com/). It uses GPS satellites... I know, it's a stretch.
39. get educational material from NASA/ESA (http://spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov/)
40. don't pay money to name a star or buy land on the moon. Educate people on how it's a scam.
41. hunt for asteroids (http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/mpc.html)
42. be a variable star observer (http://www.aavso.org/)
43. find type 1A supernovae (http://www.supernovae.net/isn.htm)
44. find a comet with SOHO (http://ares.nrl.navy.mil/sungrazer/)
45. analyze pictures of Mars taken by Mars Global Surveyor (http://www.msss.com/moc_gallery/). Suggest new targets for detailed images.
46. do occultation timing (http://www.lunar-occultations.com/iota/iotandx.htm)
47. observe meteors and report your findings (http://www.amsmeteors.org/)
48. build a radio observatory (http://www.qsl.net/SARA/)
49. attend a space conference, and connect with other space enthusiasts
50. buy or build a Ham Radio (http://www.arrl.org/). Maybe even talk to astronauts.
51. buy some space collectables (http://www.countdowncreations.com)

__________________
Fraser Cain
Publisher
Universe Today - Free space news delivered by email every weekday.

How about getting astronomy, space, science, physics periodicals?

Also, I think it's a good idea to divide what we already have into some catergories.
Here's my ideas:

Social:
3. buy books about space and astronomy, give them as gifts
4. join a space society (Planetary Society, National Space Society, Mars Society, etc)
7. take your telescope to public places and let strangers look through it (this is called Sidewalk Astronomy)
14. come out of the closet... admit you're a space fan to your friends and family. You aren't alone.
17. go to a star party
20. attend a Yuri's Night (http://www.yurisnight.net/), or organize one in your region
21. get involved with World Space Week (http://www.spaceweek.org)
24. join a space-related discussion forum (and I know just the one)
30. donate your time for a space-related group, help build a rocket ship (http://www.xprize.org), sign up for the Mars Society's research programs (http://www.marssociety.org)
49. attend a space conference, and connect with other space enthusiasts

Economical:
1. invest in space-related companies
13. donate your money to space research, universities, space societies - or Universe Today ;-)
16. rich? put down your deposit for an upcoming space tourism flight
19. make a billion dollars in computers and then start a rocket company (http://www.spacex.com/)
30. donate your time for a space-related group, help build a rocket ship (http://www.xprize.org), sign up for the Mars Society's research programs (http://www.marssociety.org)
33. donate your space/astronomy books to your local library
40. don't pay money to name a star or buy land on the moon. Educate people on how it's a scam.
50. buy or build a Ham Radio (http://www.arrl.org/). Maybe even talk to astronauts.
51. buy some space collectables (http://www.countdowncreations.com)

Educational:
3. buy books about space and astronomy, give them as gifts
9. watch the Discovery Channel, TLC, PBS. Write thank you letters when they show space-related programs.
12. support your country's space agency (or criticize them, which ever is more productive)
15. make a presentation at your kid's school about something current in space, like the Mars rovers
19. make a billion dollars in computers and then start a rocket company (http://www.spacex.com/)
21. get involved with World Space Week (http://www.spaceweek.org)
23. write an op/ed or informational article for your community newspaper
24. join a space-related discussion forum (and I know just the one)
26. go to your local planetarium, science centre or IMAX theatre
31. debunk pseudoscience wherever you find it
32. educate yourself. Get your degree in science, or take some part time astronomy courses over the Internet (http://astronomy.swin.edu.au/)
35. enjoy some good science fiction
39. get educational material from NASA/ESA (http://spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov/)

Political:
5. fight for darker skies in your area (http://www.darksky.org for more details)
8. write your local or national government regarding space issues
12. support your country's space agency (or criticize them, which ever is more productive)
13. donate your money to space research, universities, space societies - or Universe Today ;-)
18. join an astronomical society
19. make a billion dollars in computers and then start a rocket company (http://www.spacex.com/)
21. get involved with World Space Week (http://www.spaceweek.org)
37. sign a space petition (save Hubble, etc.)
49. attend a space conference, and connect with other space enthusiasts

Amateur:
6. buy a telescope and learn how to use it
7. take your telescope to public places and let strangers look through it (this is called Sidewalk Astronomy)
11. become an amateur rocketeer
20. attend a Yuri's Night (http://www.yurisnight.net/), or organize one in your region
29. install SETI@home (http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/)
36. learn your constellations (http://www.skymaps.com)
41. hunt for asteroids (http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/mpc.html)
42. be a variable star observer (http://www.aavso.org/)
43. find type 1A supernovae (http://www.supernovae.net/isn.htm)
44. find a comet with SOHO (http://ares.nrl.navy.mil/sungrazer/)
46. do occultation timing (http://www.lunar-occultations.com/iota/iotandx.htm)
47. observe meteors and report your findings (http://www.amsmeteors.org/)
48. build a radio observatory (http://www.qsl.net/SARA/)
49. attend a space conference, and connect with other space enthusiasts

Vacational:
16. rich? put down your deposit for an upcoming space tourism flight
20. attend a Yuri's Night (http://www.yurisnight.net/), or organize one in your region
25. take a space holiday (Houston, Cape Canaveral, Hawaii, Kazakhstan)
26. go to your local planetarium, science centre or IMAX theatre

Other:
2. switch to a satellite dish
9. watch the Discovery Channel, TLC, PBS. Write thank you letters when they show space-related programs.
10. convince your local cable provider to offer NASA TV
14. come out of the closet... admit you're a space fan to your friends and family. You aren't alone.
22. get satellite radio (http://www.xmradio.com or http://www.siriusradio.com)
27. attend a free or paid lecture at your local university/college
28. set aside money for your kids' education. No pressure though...
29. install SETI@home (http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/)
34. make a space homepage/blog
38. do geocaching (http://www.geocaching.com/). It uses GPS satellites... I know, it's a stretch.
45. analyze pictures of Mars taken by Mars Global Surveyor (http://www.msss.com/moc_gallery/). Suggest new targets for detailed images.

As you might have noticed, some are eligible for two catergories.

Yo, c'mon guys, Fraser needs your help, and I CAN'T be the only one to come up with ideas and take him seriously! Come on! :unsure: <_<

I need more caffeine first :huh:

__________________
"The stars are my home"
"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe... Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion... I've watched c-beams glitter in the dark, near the Tanhauser Gate... all those moments will be lost, in time... like tears in the rain..."

By launching from the stratosphere at ten to fifteen g's we might use as little as ten percent of the fuel that is presently needed.

One thing I have thought about is using buoyancy to reduce the apparent effects of acceleration. Astronauts could float in a solution. There is even liquid that can be breathed. I realize that surrounding the astronauts with fluid will increase weight; however, I think the increase in weight will me much more offset by the decrease in fuel.

Second, I think anchoring large stratosphere balloons to the ground and using them to hoist rockets up higher will enable us to avoid nearly all of the atmospheric drag.

Third, pairs of ships could be rotated on cables of ever-increasing length spinning from the stratosphere balloon space port using electrical power that travels up the anchoring cable.

Fourth, to the extent that the radius of rotation keeps increasing, the astronauts will be in free-fall just as a falling person feels no acceleration even though they are accelerating.

Wm. Scott Smith

Soo....is that supposed to be the 53rd way to get into space? :blink: :huh:

Starstuff on ABC radio in Australia.

I haven't caught it in a while. It was always good when I heard it.

Does anyone have a link to a investment manager that invests in space based investments?

__________________
My Webpage

53) Yeah, is #53 Rotating Baloon Flingers?
54) Listen to Starstuff(re-Zephyr)

55) Replace one of your heat-producing incandescent light bulbs with a compact flourescent light bulb. Use the savings to buy another bulb, save more money...eventually save enough money to pay for the colonization of the entire Solar System.

I posted a financial example of this in a response to Kashi at:This Post

In less than 20 years, the total savings would amount to ˜1 Trillion dollars Per Month!

20 years is about 1/2 the time we've been waiting to go back to the Moon (or Anywhere Else, for that matter).

56) (#49 With a Twist) Convince a Space Advocacy Organization to build it's own conference center with a space theme (and off-the-grid too!), so that the fees, hotel and restaurant costs which attendees pay will not go towards supporting conventional energy/water wasteful hotels. Instead, the money can go towards developing and testing actual systems and technologies which could be used in space, and for Lunar/Mars Habitats.

__________________
Pre-Quote: 'To survive one has to experiment. When the environment changes, the traditional way of doing things doesn't work.'

Quote:
&quot;It's the outriders, the organisms that seem to be maladjusted before the change, which are the only ones that survive these changes...in that way a species continues.&quot;

Carl Sagan

I like having a mix of big and small stuff. The light bulb is a good idea, but I'd take it a step further and suggest people use an LED bulb instead. It's even easier on the electricity, and the outdoor ones are fully directed and don't cause any light pollution.

Unfortunately, when people save money, they use it to do something else, like pay off debt, or go out for dinner.

__________________
Fraser Cain
Publisher
Universe Today - Free space news delivered by email every weekday.

57)Addon to #55. Develop an LED-powered light bulb, thereby saving even more money. Put the savings toward establishing a research grant or some such.


EDIT: dang, Fraser beat me to it :P

__________________
The visions we present to our children shape the future. It matters what those visions are. Often they become self-fulfilling prophecies. - Carl Sagan, 1992

So that's it, only a couple of ideas? Come on... I need your help. :-)

__________________
Fraser Cain
Publisher
Universe Today - Free space news delivered by email every weekday.

Ok then... I thought of a few sitting here at work

57)Contact your local schools about doing a fundraiser to raise science awareness and money for science programs
58)Contact your schools and offer to help organize field trips to space agencies if you live near one.
59)Join the AAAS
60)Write letters to authors of space-related material, thanking them for their contribution to science

__________________
The visions we present to our children shape the future. It matters what those visions are. Often they become self-fulfilling prophecies. - Carl Sagan, 1992

I think we need a global investment float, buy out the best space companies and a couple of mining companies, and go get some passing asteroids!

Or, I know this leans towards politics, but, if we give the minor parties a great space policy that puts us on the moon in the next 3 years with jobs for all, the big parties will rip it off and do it in two! And with the money we make (from our space investment trust) we can start funding jaunts out to our co-orbital asteroids, call it 'space tourism, and charge for that too!

__________________
My Webpage

Here's a few more I thought of. You might find a few humorous at first, but think about em for a while.

61Get enough people together and force Congress or Parliament to give squatter's rights to people who land on asteroids, planets,etc. Remember how a lot of people in the US moved out west because of the promise of free land?

62)Try to substitute high-tech items for items you use every day. The more people buy advanced technology, the more money the companies have to create new technology, a lot of which might end up in space in the near future

63)Make sure your government representatives know how much you approve of their cooperation with foreign space agencies. If the government sees enough interest in acquiring space-capability, it will foster increased cooperation between foreign agencies, and get space administrations a larger chunk of the budget.

64)Do everything you can to promote a one-world government. We have achieved the greatest marvels in weapons of destruction, and only a unified world will ever achieve the marvels of interstellar travel and economy.

__________________
The visions we present to our children shape the future. It matters what those visions are. Often they become self-fulfilling prophecies. - Carl Sagan, 1992

Modification of devilmech's #62) -
65) Buy/Use a product/technique/technology, high or low tech, that you believe can be directly used, or evolved into, something useful for space activities. Such as:

Power production and storage
Water Filtration and Treatment
Waste Treatment and Reuse

And, 66) Spend time each day thinking of how to make an improvement on a product/technique/technology, (high or low tech), that you believe can be directly used, or evolved into, something useful for space activities.

__________________
Pre-Quote: 'To survive one has to experiment. When the environment changes, the traditional way of doing things doesn't work.'

Quote:
&quot;It's the outriders, the organisms that seem to be maladjusted before the change, which are the only ones that survive these changes...in that way a species continues.&quot;

Carl Sagan

That's where I was going with my "get a satellite dish" idea. I'm sure there are lots of products and services out there we can buy which contribute to the space industry like that.

__________________
Fraser Cain
Publisher
Universe Today - Free space news delivered by email every weekday.

67) Pull out one of your old, rotating, artificial-gravity space station designs from the file cabinet, dust it off, and get in touch with a space organization with Buzz Aldrin on its board of directors, and offer to share it with them, so Buzz can see his long-time concept of an Earth-Moon(and, Earth-Mars) Cycler Orbiter become a reality.

That's what I did this week.

__________________
Pre-Quote: 'To survive one has to experiment. When the environment changes, the traditional way of doing things doesn't work.'

Quote:
&quot;It's the outriders, the organisms that seem to be maladjusted before the change, which are the only ones that survive these changes...in that way a species continues.&quot;

Carl Sagan

do tell Tom!

__________________
Damien,
International Baccalaureate Physics teacher
Spectroradiometry Instrumentation Major
Admin: Pacific Science and Art

Well, tick that off the list, then. :-)

__________________
Fraser Cain
Publisher
Universe Today - Free space news delivered by email every weekday.