#popscope is an urban movement that aims to reconnect communities to the night sky — and to each other — by hosting free, “pop-up” astronomy nights in public spaces. To date, we have generated chapters in Ottawa, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Jacksonville, NYC, and Boston that have hosted weekly and monthly events to inspire and bring people together.
What We Do
Our volunteers "pop-up" with telescopes in urban public places all over the world.
Why We Pop-Up
• To increase opportunities for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Engagement - not every urban resident has a telescope. Not every student has an equal chance at becoming an astronaut or astrophysicist, with #popscope we hope to inspire and encourage.
• To develop civic engagement in communities. Many cities are divided along ethnic and class lines, with few opportunities for people of different backgrounds to interact and learn from one another. We don’t always know our neighbors and won’t all participate politically. #popscope allows guests from any age or background to connect and participate.
• To utilize public spaces. Our parks, sidewalks, and libraries promise to be the sites of healthy, fun, or educational activities that embrace the diversity of today’s urban populations. They can be places where people from different backgrounds meet, play, and learn from another.
How #popscope Happens
#popscope is possible through engagement with the public, raising grant money, and developing strategic partnerships
PARTNERS
Brooklyn Public Library
Boston Children’s Museum
The Walter’s Art Museum
Enoch Pratt Free Library
Baltimore Global Shapers Community
Smithsonian Air and Space Museum
Mather High School
Montreal Global Shapers Community
Carleton University
MacOdrum Library
National Gallery of Canada
Sayre High School
Massey College
DONORS
Awesome Foundation
Celestron
John Hopkins University Social Innovation Lab
Warnock Foundation
Awards