Astronomy Festival on the National Mall 2009-2022

Astronomy Festival on the National Mall (AFNM) Sponsored by Hofstra University Largest annual astronomy outreach event in the US - 30000

participants since 2010 organized by Dr. Donald Lubowich Coordinator of Astronomy Outreach

Started in 2010 with the cosponsorship of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and with the NASM in 2011.

Volunteers from 35 science organizations and universities do hands-on activities at tables.

Astronomy clubs bring 20 optical and 4 radio telescopes. In 2017 Neshamah, a dance company founded by Hofstra graduate Hannah Cohen (HCLAS 2012) presented an interpretation of NASA's Voyager missions, including the “golden record” containing sounds and images selected to portray the diversity of life and culture on Earth (by Carl Sagan).

Participating Organizations American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Geophysical Union, American Association of Physics Teachers, Associated Universities, Inc., Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Carnegie Institution for Science, Chandra X-ray Center, International Dark Sky Association, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, NASA - Goddard Space Flight Center, National Air and Space Museum, National Center for Earth and Space Science Education, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, National Science Foundation’s NOIRLab, US Naval Research Laboratory, Society of Physics Students, The Planetary Society, the NH Solar Eclipse Task Force

Participating Organizations: • Colleges and Universities: American University, Catholic U. of America; George Mason University, George Washington University, Georgetown University, Howard University (National Society of Black Engineers), Johns Hopkins University, Montgomery College, Penn State University, and Rice University.

• Organizations bringing telescopes: Goddard Astronomy Club, National Capital Astronomers, Northern Virginia Astronomy Club, and the Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers.

Thousands doing hands-on activities

Images: Geoff Chester above and below

Bruno Sánchez-Andrade Nuño above

Don Lubowich

Bob Moore

NRAO

Society of Physics Students Black Hole

Society of Physics Students Activities Distance to the Sun; Oreo Moon phases

Crowds near NRL

Solar observing with Hα filter

Solar observing with Hα filter

NASA Hubble Space Telescope Outreach

Bill Nye, President, The Planetary Society

The Planetary Society activities

The Planetary Society, sending postcards to Space on a SpaceX rocket

Thomas Jefferson HS for Science and Technology: gum drop constellation patterns

Catholic University of America used a football field with planet markers to show the scale of the Solar System

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Crowds for STEM activities

Carnegie Institution for Science

National Air and Space Museum explaining black holes

NASA Chandra X-ray Center

Amateur astronomers set up telescopes to view the Sun or stars

Long lines for free E-planetarium show

Activities done until 11pm with table lamps

Long lines to look at the sky

Lines of >100 people to look at Jupiter