Especially if Space Advocacy is Their Bag

Rounding out this week’s suggestions for gifts that pay it forward in terms of astronomy and space science, why not consider a membership in The Planetary Society?  This group has been around since 1980, when it was founded by Louis Friedman, Bruce Murray, and Carl Sagan. The members, who live in 125 countries, support such interesting and forward-looking programs as SETI@Home, solar sail development, extrasolar planet discoveries, and exploration of our own solar system. Planetary Society is Earth’s largest non-governmental space action group. It publishes The Planetary Report, offers up contests and projects that anyone can participate in, and sponsors great lectures and other events in various communities. Plus, membership gets you discounts at participating planetarium facilities — a plus if you like to go see planetarium shows!

And speaking of which, I can’t stress enough that memberships at your local science museum or science center, or even gift certificates to shows at your local planetarium (either a certificate you make yourself, or one that you can buy from any planetarium that offers them) are also very cool ways to pay forward a love of astronomy and skygazing.

I realize that this week’s suggestions are a tip of the iceberg and that there are many other great organizations, objects, and ideas for gifts that are available. If you’d like to suggest other ideas in comments, feel free.  I moderate comments pretty frequently, so have at it!

“I stood upon that silent hill
And stared into the sky until
My eyes were blind with stars and still
I stared into the sky.”
-The Song of Honour, Ralph Hodgson

Valentine’s Day is coming up. You may have noticed a few advertisements for chocolates and diamonds and new cars and cruises, all designed to convince you that buying something expensive is the only way to your loved one’s heart. Nice stuff, if you can afford it, but the assumption that love can bought? Not so much. Well, okay, I’ll admit the chocolate is mighty tempting. And, I’d even buy some (or encourage my loved one to buy some) for the occasion. And, a cruise to Hawai’i would sit real well right about now (we’re having our second straight week of below-freezing temps here).

But, I’m a simple kinda person and think that the way one shows love is through the small everyday things. Sure, the grand, lovely things are nice, but not necessary.

What’s this got to do with astronomy? Well, the stars are up there for you and your loved one to share. Best of all, they’re free and awe-inspiring all on their own. In my case, people I love got me interested in them, and they gave the gift of the stars that has stayed with me my entire life. How so? I got interested in stargazing as a kid when my dad took me out to see the constellations. As a teenager, I spent lots of time with a really cool guy who was into stargazing. Eventually, we got married under the stars (at a planetarium), and, of course, I studied astronomy and worked in a planetarium and now I write about stars and galaxies and the cosmos. So, you can see a theme developing here. As Carole King once sang, “At night the stars put on a show for free.” I’ve been watching that show my whole life, and want others to enjoy it, too.

So, this morning I started to see ads (and columns) about “naming a star” for a loved one (for a fee) as the “perfect” gift for Valentine’s Day. That’s troublesome on so many levels. Heck, despite the filters I put on this blog, Googleads for star-naming groups keep showing up on THIS page-that’s how pervasive the idea is.

Okay, so what’s wrong with it? It IS true that you CAN name a star. Anybody can call a star anything they want. Heck, you can name a tree for your loved one, or a rock, or a mountain. Are those names official? No, not really.

For some reason, maybe because the stars seem mysterious and lie “far away” and “out there” people fall for the idea of paying somebody to name a star for them (or someone else). That’s fine if you want to spend your money that way, but like I said, the name is unofficial. NO astronomers will use the name. What you’re buying is a novelty, like a pet rock or a worry stone or a pair of Groucho glasses, or a talking picture frame, or Black Forest Cuckoo clock; all meant to amuse.

The truth is, NOBODY can sell you a star name and claim that the name is “official.” Period. If you don’t believe me, go here, or here, or here, or here.

However, the thought of promising your loved one a lifetime of devotion under the stars is really quite a nice one, and, as it turns out, it won’t cost you much to do it. In love, it’s really the thought that counts. So, try this: go out tonight, look up and find Sirius or Betelgeuse or Canopus or any other star you want, and point it out to your loved one and say, “I’m going to call that star “Our Star” in honor of us.”

No problem. Absolutely free of charge. You don’t have to pay somebody else to do it for you. Want to do something really special for Valentine’s Day? If you’re artsy and creative, take the extra step of selecting the star in advance, and create a fancy certificate (on the computer, or hand-draw it), and coming up with a little dedication like this:
In honor of my love for you,
I’ve selected the star (star name here) as “our” star.
Whether we’re together or apart,
whenever we look at (star name here),
it will be as if we’re looking at each other.
Happy Valentine’s Day!”

And then give your loved one a hug, a kiss, or whatever’s appropriate. I met two folks who did exactly this AND then after the stargazing portion of the evening was over, they proposed marriage to each other! The possibilities are endless!
The gift of astronomy and an evening under the stars is a gift from the heart, fresh from the universe! And, with the money you saved by making your own star dedication certificate, you can go out and get some really GOOD chocolate for the occasion. It’s win-win all the way around!

Here, I’ll even help you out. Here are some links to star charts for the northern and southern hemisphere for February: February 2007 charts. Download your chart (northern hemiphere if you live above the equator, southern if you live below the equator), print it out, and then take your loved one outside for Valentine’s Day night (preferably after dinner and a nice piece of chocolate). Check out the stars and star patterns on the chart and compare it to the sky above. It’s really that easy. The rest is up to you and your loved one. Explore to your heart’s content!

Then, when you’re done, go back inside and make some hot chocolate (if it’s cold where you are), or have a nice frosty chocolate shake (if it’s warm where you are).
Have a happy and stellar Valentine’s Day!