Astronomy@250: Anniversary Stars Inspire Observing
Updated: Aug 28
For the Astronomy@250 conference I embrace Anniversary Stars as a launchpad to get people to explore the night sky. My poster invites readers to pair a signature star with a milestone event, citing Spica as the US Semiquincentennial Star at 250 light years away.
Related content encourages preserving the night sky that inspired stars on the US flag, as resolved by the Second Continental Congress in the country's inaugural year. It also encourages the public to use their cell phones to image the starfield of the recurring nova in Corona Borealis before it erupts.
Sample events associated with anniversary stars link to pages within Nightwise.org. Further below, the list of stars with approximate distances are from a 1996 compilation by Dr. Lynn Bondurant. Check latest sky surveys for current values.
Astronomy@250 is a virtual conference August 27-29, 2026, celebrating 250 years of Astronomy in the United States. Registration is at https://astrosociety.org/events-home/2026-conference-astronomy-250.html.
Hosted by AstroSociety, its kickoff event is a panel featuring the life and legacy of Dr. Nancy Grace Roman, whose namesake Roman Space Telescope is scheduled for launch in late August 2026. Full conference registration is not required to attend the free Zoom webinar.
Sample Anniversary Events
250 - Spica nightwise.org/usa250
200 - Scheat nightwise.org/bicentennial-star
150 - Eltanin nightwise.org/first-midnight
Lists of Approximate Distances
Dr. Lynn Bondurant of NASA Lewis Research Center compiled a list of 200 candidate stars for the Cleveland Bicentennial Commission and published them in Cleveland's History Through the Message of Starlight in 1996. Distances in light years (LYA) are approximate, for some of the distances have been refined over the years with updated satellites, telescopes, and technology. Check latest sky surveys for current values. Used with permission.
