The National Young Astronomer Award is designed to recognize the outstanding achievements by high school aged astronomers throughout the United States in the areas of research, public education, academic scholarship in astronomy or science, observing, imaging, telescope or equipment design or construction, publications and writing, local club activities, and regional and national organizational activities.

The first place winner will receive a 5 inch refracting Telescope made possible by the generosity of Explore Scientific. The winner receives an all-expense paid trip to the League's national convention to receive the award. The first and second place winners receive "Lifetime Passes" from the University of Texas McDonald Observatory. This award enables N.Y.A.A. winners to share telescope time with professional astronomers at the observatory.

If you know of an outstanding young astronomer in your local club, encourage them to submit an application. The application must be submitted by March 31, 2010.

For additional information about this and other Astroleague award programs see www.astroleague.org/al/awards/awards.html.

What: The Globe at Night Campaign
When: 8pm to 10pm local time, March 3-16, 2010
Where: Everywhere
Who: You! (Everyone!)
How: See http://www.globeatnight.org

Why:
With half of the world’s population now living in cities, many urban dwellers have never experienced the wonderment of pristinely dark skies and maybe never will. This loss, caused by light pollution, is a concern on many fronts: safety, energy conservation, cost, health and effects on wildlife, as well as our ability to view the stars. Even though light pollution is a serious and growing global concern, it is one of the easiest environmental problems you can address on local levels.

Globe at Night is an annual 2-week campaign in March that helps to address the light pollution issue locally as well as globally. This year the campaign is March 3-16, 2010. You are invited along with everyone all over the world to record the brightness of your night sky by matching its appearance toward the constellation Orion with star maps of progressively fainter stars found at http://www.globeatnight.org/observe_magnitude.html. You then submit your measurements on-line at http://www.globeatnight.org/report.html with your date, time and location. A few weeks later, organizers release a map of light-pollution levels worldwide. Over the last four 2-week Globe at Night campaigns, volunteers from over 100 nations have contributed 35,000 measurements.

The Astroleague Office Coordinator, Brenda Sparks, will be available to take 'live' calls Mondays and Wednesdays 9:00 am to 4:00 pm CDT, phone 1-816-333-7759.