Star Stories
Lead Research Organisation:
Abriachan Forest Trust
Department Name: Grants Administration
Abstract
The core aims of this project:
- Deliver a series of inspirational astronomy events out at Abriachan Forest engaging with a diverse audience from across the local region, specifically targeting and transporting families from disadvantaged areas of Inverness. The project personnal have prior experience working with families from the Merkinch North, South Kessock, Inverness Hilton West, Invergordon and others. These 1,2,3 indexed SIMD areas will be targeted with a view towards transporting families out to Abriachan to participate in the events. It is our view that the Highlands of Scotland is poorly provisioned in regards to inspirational astronomy based outreach, and this project will therefore help the STFC improve its geographical coverage into more remote regions of the British Isles, reaching out to low science capital audiences.
- Utilise the unique open spaces and woodland environment at Abriachan Forest to deliver astronomy and physics based learning with a strong emphasis on ancient landscape based astronomy and the cultural links to the night sky through the medium of storytelling. We will build physical objects on site as part of the project - a large wooden henge, a pit and post lunar calendar and sundial - to compliment the outdoor learning experience and show participants how our ancestors tracked time and the seasons.
- Through the medium of campfire storytelling we will provides insights into how culture can drive ideas and understanding of the physical universe and how our perspectives have changed leading into our modern understanding of the heavens. Where possible local gaelic language references will be integrated into these narratives. This will forge a clear link between modern astronomy and its more naive but fascinating past.
- Deliver content which will engage as broad an audience as possible. Astronomy can be viewed as an insular and technical activity and this can be a barrier to participation. It is our aspiration that this project, with its wider sweep of ideas and inputs, tied to landscape, language and culture, but always backed up by core science, will attract a much more diverse audience. We will also achieve this through differentiated experiential learning activities. Indeed, we believe the winter pilot program has shown this to be the case. The pilot already attracted a core of people who came to each event. In some cases younger children were coercing parents into attending the events, even during very inclement weather!
- Create inventive take-away resources like 'Make a mini Clava Cairns in your garden', 'Build a sundial', Sky charts with specific links with the storytelling and Abriachan's 57 degree latitude, paper spectroscopes, solar ovens and pin hole cameras - so audiences can continue to learn after each event.
- Lay the foundations for a more sustainable and permanent astronomy teaching environment at Abriachan by clearing a proper observing area and investing in key equipment (small and large binoculars) and the erection of landscape structures. Our successful winter pilot highlighted areas for improvement. For instance, people have previously been asked to take their own binoculars
- Generate relevant publicity via press releases and then catalogue and film sessions for editing and future distribution via Abriachan's website, existing Facebook and twitter feeds and on a special youtube channel for the project. We will also develop a mixed media animation (short films) driven by the young learners to highlight the success of the project.
- Utilise the excellent networks of Prof Martin Hendry and Steve Owens (STFC researcher and project backer) to distribute content and learning from the project to various publications, groups and organisations. The astronomer will also pro-actively reach out to astronomical groups and publications to publicise the programmes findings and conclusions.
- Deliver a series of inspirational astronomy events out at Abriachan Forest engaging with a diverse audience from across the local region, specifically targeting and transporting families from disadvantaged areas of Inverness. The project personnal have prior experience working with families from the Merkinch North, South Kessock, Inverness Hilton West, Invergordon and others. These 1,2,3 indexed SIMD areas will be targeted with a view towards transporting families out to Abriachan to participate in the events. It is our view that the Highlands of Scotland is poorly provisioned in regards to inspirational astronomy based outreach, and this project will therefore help the STFC improve its geographical coverage into more remote regions of the British Isles, reaching out to low science capital audiences.
- Utilise the unique open spaces and woodland environment at Abriachan Forest to deliver astronomy and physics based learning with a strong emphasis on ancient landscape based astronomy and the cultural links to the night sky through the medium of storytelling. We will build physical objects on site as part of the project - a large wooden henge, a pit and post lunar calendar and sundial - to compliment the outdoor learning experience and show participants how our ancestors tracked time and the seasons.
- Through the medium of campfire storytelling we will provides insights into how culture can drive ideas and understanding of the physical universe and how our perspectives have changed leading into our modern understanding of the heavens. Where possible local gaelic language references will be integrated into these narratives. This will forge a clear link between modern astronomy and its more naive but fascinating past.
- Deliver content which will engage as broad an audience as possible. Astronomy can be viewed as an insular and technical activity and this can be a barrier to participation. It is our aspiration that this project, with its wider sweep of ideas and inputs, tied to landscape, language and culture, but always backed up by core science, will attract a much more diverse audience. We will also achieve this through differentiated experiential learning activities. Indeed, we believe the winter pilot program has shown this to be the case. The pilot already attracted a core of people who came to each event. In some cases younger children were coercing parents into attending the events, even during very inclement weather!
- Create inventive take-away resources like 'Make a mini Clava Cairns in your garden', 'Build a sundial', Sky charts with specific links with the storytelling and Abriachan's 57 degree latitude, paper spectroscopes, solar ovens and pin hole cameras - so audiences can continue to learn after each event.
- Lay the foundations for a more sustainable and permanent astronomy teaching environment at Abriachan by clearing a proper observing area and investing in key equipment (small and large binoculars) and the erection of landscape structures. Our successful winter pilot highlighted areas for improvement. For instance, people have previously been asked to take their own binoculars
- Generate relevant publicity via press releases and then catalogue and film sessions for editing and future distribution via Abriachan's website, existing Facebook and twitter feeds and on a special youtube channel for the project. We will also develop a mixed media animation (short films) driven by the young learners to highlight the success of the project.
- Utilise the excellent networks of Prof Martin Hendry and Steve Owens (STFC researcher and project backer) to distribute content and learning from the project to various publications, groups and organisations. The astronomer will also pro-actively reach out to astronomical groups and publications to publicise the programmes findings and conclusions.
Planned Impact
Resources generated will fall into the following categories:
1. Audio recordings of the campfire storytelling sessions.
2. Edited video recordings of the events including - outdoor activities, indoor presentations and activities.
3. Aforementioned mixed media animation driven by the young learners.
4. Indoor power point presentations.
5. Takeaway props from experiments and activities will be available for participants to take
home.
6. Detailed project blog entries.
All the above materials will be edited, condensed and and made available on a special project section of Abriachan Forest Trust's website, on a new Youtube channel and on existing Facebook and Twitter networks.
On project completion the astronomer will summarise the project learnings and metrics - what worked and what didn't work - and generate content for consumption by the scientific community highlighting the impact of the engagement programme.
The following organisations and publications will be pro actively engaged with on the basis of publishing content derived from the programme:
Astronomy Now magazine, Sky at Night magazine, Journal of Astrophysics and Geophysics,
British Astronomical Association, Federation of Astronomical Societies,
National Astronomy Meeting
Additionally, as part of his role as STFC project researcher, Martin Hendry's extensive network will be used to promote and distribute materials to UK wide amateur astronomy organisations, schools and other community land projects. Dark sky consultant Steve Owens has also agreed to support information cascade with his extensive Twitter feeds.
Press releases both before and after the project will be distributed to BBC Scotland, STV, and numerous print bodies promote and raise awareness of the project and its deliverables. All such correspondences will be approved with the STFC's press functions.
1. Audio recordings of the campfire storytelling sessions.
2. Edited video recordings of the events including - outdoor activities, indoor presentations and activities.
3. Aforementioned mixed media animation driven by the young learners.
4. Indoor power point presentations.
5. Takeaway props from experiments and activities will be available for participants to take
home.
6. Detailed project blog entries.
All the above materials will be edited, condensed and and made available on a special project section of Abriachan Forest Trust's website, on a new Youtube channel and on existing Facebook and Twitter networks.
On project completion the astronomer will summarise the project learnings and metrics - what worked and what didn't work - and generate content for consumption by the scientific community highlighting the impact of the engagement programme.
The following organisations and publications will be pro actively engaged with on the basis of publishing content derived from the programme:
Astronomy Now magazine, Sky at Night magazine, Journal of Astrophysics and Geophysics,
British Astronomical Association, Federation of Astronomical Societies,
National Astronomy Meeting
Additionally, as part of his role as STFC project researcher, Martin Hendry's extensive network will be used to promote and distribute materials to UK wide amateur astronomy organisations, schools and other community land projects. Dark sky consultant Steve Owens has also agreed to support information cascade with his extensive Twitter feeds.
Press releases both before and after the project will be distributed to BBC Scotland, STV, and numerous print bodies promote and raise awareness of the project and its deliverables. All such correspondences will be approved with the STFC's press functions.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Stephen Andrew Mackintosh (Principal Investigator) |