Astronomy-Related Activities Map

[John Reed]

I've been noodling with Google Maps for my own career development, and it occurred to me a fun project might be something for astronomy related activities. A map of places to go experience space stuff. It could be planetariums, good viewing sites, observatories and what-not. Does this exist already somewhere? Does it sound like a worthy project?

I put together a rough, first pass, proof of concept: http://www.spaceplaces.org/

[Swift]

It sounds like a great project

On your proof of concept map, would it be possible to color-code, like observatories in blue, planetariums in red, etc.?

[geonuc]

Very definitely worthy.

[ngc3314]

Hmm - I'm preparing a talk for this year's Space Track programming at DragonCon on space and astronomy tourism - maybe I should pop in here when I get the PDF version posted.

[John Reed]

I could use some volunteers to enter in their favorite astronomy related sites to visit. It's a quick and easy form:

http://www.spaceplaces.org/submitsite.html

Only enter sites that are open to the public. Please note, it does not update in real-time, I have to import the data to the map. It's kind of lame, but offers the most flexibility(and also prevents people spamming the map).

Also, only enter in locations with a valid street address. I will figure out a way to work with GPS/long/lat coordinates of your favorite dark sky place when the time comes for that. For now, let's just see what people come up with.

Thanks!

John

[John Reed]

...would it be possible to color-code, like observatories in blue, planetariums in red, etc.?

Swift, that's great feedback and I have implemented it. Keep the ideas coming! There's a lot more to be done, and hopefully we can make this into something really cool.

Thanks,

John

[John Reed]

...this year's Space Track programming at DragonCon on space and astronomy tourism...

ngc3314, I hadn't even thought of events! Thanks for bringing this up. I have added Space Track at DragonCon, which by the way, I had no idea existed. This map thing could work well for others too.

I'll need to put some thought in how to store time-sensitive data, but I've added it. Dragon*Con looks annual so there won't be a need to remove it, but now that you've opened this door, other events might be one-off and I'll need to expire them somehow.

Thanks!

[Swift]

I put in a couple of ones around here (Northeast Ohio) and I'll add others as I think of them.

Now with moderator hat on - this is so cool that I'm going to sticky it. Maybe if it really gets going we could put the link some place prominent.

[John Reed]

I put in a couple of ones around here (Northeast Ohio) and I'll add others as I think of them.

Now with moderator hat on - this is so cool that I'm going to sticky it. Maybe if it really gets going we could put the link some place prominent.

Thanks Swift, I am honored! And I was tickled to see your entries go through.

The site has been moved to a new home, Space-Places.com (http://www.space-places.com/)!

Easy to remember, catchy rhyme that hopefully catches on...

[cosmoquest]

This is awesome! When you have it done (enough to go public - it will never be done done), so you want to do a guest post about it on CosmoQuest?

[John Reed]

This is awesome! When you have it done (enough to go public - it will never be done done), so you want to do a guest post about it on CosmoQuest?

Wow! I'd be doubleplus honored :)

[John Reed]

spaceplaces.org (http://www.spaceplaces.org) is growing! We're up to 144 sites and counting. Check it out. And if YOUR favorite Space Place is not on the map, be sure to put it there. (http://www.spaceplaces.org/submitsite.html)

[John Reed]

This is awesome! When you have it done (enough to go public - it will never be done done), so you want to do a guest post about it on CosmoQuest?

Hey CosmoQuest! I am ready to go public on this and would like to take you up on your offer for a guest post. I sent you a couple PM's. I know you've been very busy though, keep up the good work. Space needs you.

[kmasterdo]

Hey CosmoQuest! I am ready to go public on this and would like to take you up on your offer for a guest post. I sent you a couple PM's. I know you've been very busy though, keep up the good work. Space needs you.
Thanks for sharing!

[ngc3314]

Hmm - I'm preparing a talk for this year's Space Track programming at DragonCon on space and astronomy tourism - maybe I should pop in here when I get the PDF version posted.

And here it is (being presented tomorrow morning - Astronomical Tourism (http://astronomy.ua.edu/keel/talks/AstroTourism.pdf), a 27-Mbyte PDF with many illustrations and links. It's keyed largely to what visitors can see at astronomical spots (and a few space centers). Coverage of college observatories with public programs does drop rapidly with distance from Atlanta, since there are so many of them.

[Geekinthegarden]

What about sites that are semi-open to the public? I am happy to share my fairly dark skies though it is private land and I just need to be contacted before visits. Can I get listed?