Almost the end of a great first year

I was thinking back to last September and the discussions I had with the other half of Cosmic Journey, Massimo Torri. We had just incorporated the company and we were developing the modules, setting up the testing for modules and were planning to run them at the Strathcona Wilderness Centre. The International Year of Astronomy (IYA) was coming and we had plans, big plans, to get out and promote astronomy.

We had done outreach to a few schools by then and we knew between the two of us we could build something really fantastic.

As 2009 came closer to beginning I asked a friend if he wanted to do something special artistically to welcome in the IYA and we decided to get out the chainsaws and work with Strathcona County to get some carving ice and do a sculpture in Broadmoor Lake Park. We carved it by Dec 30 and although it was too cold to do any astronomical observing for the public during the events of New Years Eve, the sculpture had the company of a few thousand residents when the fireworks started to welcome in the new year. We have a picture of the carving on the Cosmic Journey website at www.cosmicjourney.net.

The New Year offered lots of promise, the testing of the modules had great reviews and we had locked down dates for the public to sign up for them over a six week period starting early in 2009. We didn't manage to get many sign-ups so we had to figure out what we could do to promote what we do in a better way. That's when we got directly involved in the IYA organization itself, and when we decided to host the 100 Hour Astronomy Marathon.

The planning for the Marathon was no picnic to be perfectly honest. I can now appreciate the amount of work that goes into planning any event for the public. Would I do it again? Absolutely!

The Marathon in Strathcona County was set up to be run out of the Wilderness Centre last April. We went looking for additional partners and sponsors and by the time of the event we made partnerships with the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, the Canadian Space Agency, the Beaver Hills Initiative, the International Dark Sky Association, Astronomy Without Borders, the Elk Island Art Club, Archbishop Jordan High School and Strathcona County. Total E&P Canada came in as our major sponsor.

After the end of the event we saw several hundred people come out to the Wilderness Centre, artists paint the night environment around the Wilderness Centre, webinars with other Marathoners around the world, and many County councillors, media and sponsors come out to share in the mission of the IYA to get people looking through eyepieces up into the sky.

Now that we are coming into the fall of the IYA year we are focused on continuing on the IYA mission. We did outreach at the Josephburg Chicken Supper, Canada Day Festival in Sherwood Park and we have recently revamped our website. We joined the Sherwood Park and District Chamber of Commerce and are also on the Board of the Beaver Hills Initiative.

We have developed our modules to work into school curriculums and currently we are promoting that. We are also are working with our partners to develop a business to business service that provides business with a way to curb light pollution and then promote it to their stakeholders.

Yes, the first year of business was fantastic. We learned a lot, built relationships with great partners and we are still working hard a building the business and engaging the public. Surprisingly, both Massimo and I only do this part-time.

Will we do another Marathon? Maybe. We are working on doing something with Galilean Nights in October. Stay tuned and visit our website often. http://www.cosmicjourney.net

Thanks for your support in our first year.

_pat