You are invited to explore the night sky with 4-H, family and friends. Learn how to identify the constellations, find and name individual stars and other objects in the night sky. The 4-H Starlight Challenge is a self-guided astronomy project for anyone interested in learning more about the night sky. This project can be done by individuals, families & friends or 4-H clubs. It involves planning a backyard stargazing night, going out to view the night sky to identify stars and constellations and keeping an astrojournal of your observations. Individuals who complete the challenge will receive a 4-H Starlight Challenge Patch.
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NOTE: Your ZSuite enrollment will need to be approved by staff before you can register for events.
ZSuite Resources and Enrollment Guides
Completing the Challenge
Interested individuals need to register by clicking the link on this page. You will receive a Starlight Challenge Field Kit with instructions for completing the challenge. The kit contains your Starlight Challenge Field Guide which includes several tasks, or missions, each worth points. Once you complete enough missions to earn 600 points, you will need to email a picture of your completed mission checklist and a page from your astrojournal to receive your Starlight Challenge patch. Some of the missions include assembling your planisphere and astronomer’s flashlight, identifying different constellations in the night sky and making observations in your astrojournal.
The Andromeda Galaxy
Your Starlight Challenge Field Kit includes:
- A Starlight Challenge Field Guide
- A Planisphere you can assemble
- Red Cellophane for making and astronomers flashlight (you will need to provide your own flashlight)
- An astronomer’s journal (AKA astrojournal)
If you need an accommodation to participate in our programming, please contact Claes Thelemarck, claes.thelemarck@unh.edu or 603-447-3834, prior to the event. Given ample time, we will make any reasonable effort to meet your needs, including language access services if requested, which will be provided free of charge.
