Whether you’re a budding scientist or just someone who loves a starry night, the Starlight Challenge is bringing the wonders of the cosmos to backyards across New Hampshire.
A collaboration between the University of New Hampshire Observatory and UNH Cooperative Extension, the program integrates astronomy into the state’s 4-H youth development program. Led in part by UNH Observatory Director John Gianforte, the initiative aims to get families outside and looking up.
As UNH Observatory director, John Gianforte’s main focus is to ensure that the observatory remains a key resource to the university and all who visit, including staff, students and the community at large.
One of the most popular activities in the program involves building a specialized tool for any stargazer: the astronomer’s flashlight.
Participants receive a starter kit to build a light that protects “night vision.” As Gianforte explains, the biology of our eyes plays a massive role in how much of the universe we can actually see. When you step from a bright room into the dark, your pupils are small and struggle to admit light.
“There are chemical changes that take place in the retina of your eye to make them more sensitive to low-light conditions,” says Gianforte. “Once that dark adaptation has happened, you can see more. You see more stars, you see more detail in the sky, and it makes the stargazing experience a lot more fun.”
To keep those pupils dilated, the kit uses a red lens cover. Because the human eye is less sensitive to red light, you can check your star charts or navigate rocky paths without resetting your eyes’ adaptation to the dark.
Beyond the technical skills, the Starlight Challenge is about fostering a lifelong sense of wonder. By putting tools directly into the hands of children, 4-H and UNH hope to spark a permanent interest in the sciences.
“Hopefully, that’ll send them on a path of discovery to learn their way around the night sky,” Gianforte says. “And who knows where that could go.”
For those ready to start their own journey through the stars, information on the Starlight Challenge and other 4-H astronomy programs can be found through the UNH Cooperative Extension.
How do you usually prepare for a night of stargazing—do you have a favorite spot in New Hampshire? Let us know by emailing the Cosmically Curious team.
