Well-known Hastings astronomer and writer for Australasian Science Magazine, Dave Reneke, is doing something unusual to assist local schools. Along with fellow astronomer Dustin Bradford, he’s holding a ‘Telescope Amnesty’ on Town Green this coming Saturday, September 22, and seeking the community’s help.
Dave is asking for any old, unused or unwanted telescopes that are lying about in garages or stored away in closets to be brought along on the day so he can restore and donate them to local schools to start their own astronomy clubs.
“Astronomy is part of the curriculum now,” said Dave. “Next to dinosaurs, kids love space the best, so I figured, why not boost that interest by giving them the tools to study the night sky. That’s where the idea of donating telescopes came from.”
So, if you’ve got a scope you’re not using, why not bring it along to Dave or Dustin this Saturday from 8am on Port Macquarie’s Town Green, down near the fishing wharf and just up from the statue of Edmund Barton.
They’ll be there all day, with large telescope on display and doing safe solar viewing for the general public.
“Come down just for a look if you wish and bring the family,” Dave said. “We’ll show you amazing sunspots and flares, let you glimpse the sun’s disc safely, using new solar filters and answer any questions on telescopes you might have.”
Dave and Dustin will also be running a ‘Telescope Clinic’ on the day, offering to adjust or do light repairs to any telescope you might have. Bring it along, they’ll even show you how to use it! It’s a free service for anybody living or visiting the area on the day. Free magazines and free astronomy fact sheets will also be available on the day.
It’s all part of the astronomy education Dave has been doing successfully for almost ten years now. Through his sponsors, Dave has visited over 600 schools throughout NSW and donated over a hundred new telescopes for them to start up school astronomy clubs. The secondhand telescope amnesty is a new idea, so why not get behind it!
Dave can be contacted on 0400 636 363, via his website www.davidreneke.com or just turn up on the day.
