Primary and secondary pupils will be able to discover the mysteries of the sky at night under the tutelage of amateur astronomers in a new initiative to engage more young people in science.
Careers Scotland has devised a pound;70,000 Dark Sky project in conjunction with the Royal Observatory of Edinburgh and the Forestry Commission.
Children will view the night sky through powerful telescopes, guided by members of astronomy groups. They will learn about the planets and constellations, while teachers will be shown how to operate a telescope.
Dark Sky is supported by the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council, the Glasgow Science Centre, and the Scottish Executive.
It will be piloted in the 11 local authority areas that are already part of Careers Scotland’s three-year Science and Technology Matter for Scotland initiative. However, Dark Sky will be open to any school. Contact Jim O’Hagan: joh@roe.ac.uk
