Stargazing - Attempt to Break a World Record 23 May 2018

This evening there was a nation wide attempt held in Australia to break the Guinness World Record for Stargazing.

Event Summary: ANU together with ABC is attempting to set a new Guinness World Record for Most People Stargazing Across Multiple Venues. Join us to stargaze at the Moon through a telescope or binoculars for a 10-minute period on the ANU campus.

The program will include a screening of Stargazing Live with Professor Brian Cox, and 'star talks' on stage featuring ANU superstars Professor Martin Asplund, Associate Professor Charley Lineweaver and Associate Professor Celine d'Orgeville with ABC presenters, Lish Fejer and Adam Shirley.

Event Timings:

5pm: Registration/telescope collection available from 5pm
6pm: Pre-stargazing entertainment including star-talks with ANU astronomers and ABC's Lish Fejer and Adam Shirley >and interactive astronomy quiz
8pm: Stargazing Live broadcast commences
(World Record attempt will take place between 8.00pm and 9.00pm)
10pm: Event concludes

The attempt required the registered participants to look at the moon for 10 minutes between 20:30 and 20:40 AEST.

Despite a cool and frosty evening, there was a good turn out at the ANU Fellows Oval for the event.

Telescopes aplenty were to be seen, both the small ones available with the registration for the event...

through the larger ones...

Some with phones attached

And into the bigger ones...

To ones that looked like they could launch a cannon ball

Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves despite the chill, and the moon put on a nice display, despite a low haze, it was clear for the time of the event.