Guerilla Astronomy
![Caltech scientists heading to Old Town Pasadena to showcase the night sky to passersby during some Sidewalk Stargazing.](https://divisions-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/astro70/images/sidewalk1a.2e16d0ba.fill-768x432-c100.jpg)
![Members of Caltech Astronomy spending a weekend afternoon engaging with the public on the LA Metro as part of Science Train.](https://divisions-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/astro70/images/train1a.2e16d0ba.fill-768x432-c100.jpg)
![Michael Zhang helps someone to view Jupiter for the first time on the sidewalk in Old Town Pasadena.](https://divisions-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/astro70/images/30736389318_100bcff4ee_k.2e16d0ba.fill-768x432-c100.jpg)
![Cameron Hummels points out the location of Saturn in the sky at one of our Sidewalk Stargazing sessions.](https://divisions-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/astro70/images/30736390738_110b82237b_k.2e16d0ba.fill-768x432-c100.jpg)
![Scientists from Caltech discuss science with transit workers during a Science Train activity.](https://divisions-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/astro70/images/47615580421_c22c354141_k.2e16d0ba.fill-768x432-c100.jpg)
![Caltech Astronomers offer views of the heavens to passersby on Pasadena's Colorado Boulevard on a weekend evening.](https://divisions-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/astro70/images/43210490214_3b6896e4ef_k.2e16d0ba.fill-768x432-c100.jpg)
![Jason Wang engages in science discussions at LA's Union Station as part of a Science Train event.](https://divisions-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/astro70/images/33738299808_b88c3edb59_k.2e16d0ba.fill-768x432-c100.jpg)
![Mia de los Reyes helps members of the public to look through a telescope for the first time.](https://divisions-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/astro70/images/sidewalk1c.2e16d0ba.fill-768x432-c100.jpg)
![A view of the Orion Nebula taken through one of our outreach telescopes at a Sidewalk Stargazing session.](https://divisions-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/astro70/images/sidewalk1d.2e16d0ba.fill-768x432-c100.jpg)
![Caltech scientists heading to Old Town Pasadena to showcase the night sky to passersby during some Sidewalk Stargazing.](https://divisions-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/astro70/images/sidewalk1a.2e16d0ba.fill-192x100-c100.jpg)
![Members of Caltech Astronomy spending a weekend afternoon engaging with the public on the LA Metro as part of Science Train.](https://divisions-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/astro70/images/train1a.2e16d0ba.fill-192x100-c100.jpg)
![Michael Zhang helps someone to view Jupiter for the first time on the sidewalk in Old Town Pasadena.](https://divisions-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/astro70/images/30736389318_100bcff4ee_k.2e16d0ba.fill-192x100-c100.jpg)
![Cameron Hummels points out the location of Saturn in the sky at one of our Sidewalk Stargazing sessions.](https://divisions-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/astro70/images/30736390738_110b82237b_k.2e16d0ba.fill-192x100-c100.jpg)
![Scientists from Caltech discuss science with transit workers during a Science Train activity.](https://divisions-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/astro70/images/47615580421_c22c354141_k.2e16d0ba.fill-192x100-c100.jpg)
![Caltech Astronomers offer views of the heavens to passersby on Pasadena's Colorado Boulevard on a weekend evening.](https://divisions-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/astro70/images/43210490214_3b6896e4ef_k.2e16d0ba.fill-192x100-c100.jpg)
![Jason Wang engages in science discussions at LA's Union Station as part of a Science Train event.](https://divisions-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/astro70/images/33738299808_b88c3edb59_k.2e16d0ba.fill-192x100-c100.jpg)
![Mia de los Reyes helps members of the public to look through a telescope for the first time.](https://divisions-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/astro70/images/sidewalk1c.2e16d0ba.fill-192x100-c100.jpg)
![A view of the Orion Nebula taken through one of our outreach telescopes at a Sidewalk Stargazing session.](https://divisions-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/astro70/images/sidewalk1d.2e16d0ba.fill-192x100-c100.jpg)
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![Caltech scientists heading to Old Town Pasadena to showcase the night sky to passersby during some Sidewalk Stargazing.](https://divisions-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/astro70/images/sidewalk1a.max-1400x800.jpg)
![Members of Caltech Astronomy spending a weekend afternoon engaging with the public on the LA Metro as part of Science Train.](https://divisions-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/astro70/images/train1a.max-1400x800.jpg)
![Michael Zhang helps someone to view Jupiter for the first time on the sidewalk in Old Town Pasadena.](https://divisions-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/astro70/images/30736389318_100bcff4ee_k.max-1400x800.jpg)
![Cameron Hummels points out the location of Saturn in the sky at one of our Sidewalk Stargazing sessions.](https://divisions-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/astro70/images/30736390738_110b82237b_k.max-1400x800.jpg)
![Scientists from Caltech discuss science with transit workers during a Science Train activity.](https://divisions-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/astro70/images/47615580421_c22c354141_k.max-1400x800.jpg)
![Caltech Astronomers offer views of the heavens to passersby on Pasadena's Colorado Boulevard on a weekend evening.](https://divisions-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/astro70/images/43210490214_3b6896e4ef_k.max-1400x800.jpg)
![Jason Wang engages in science discussions at LA's Union Station as part of a Science Train event.](https://divisions-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/astro70/images/33738299808_b88c3edb59_k.max-1400x800.jpg)
![Mia de los Reyes helps members of the public to look through a telescope for the first time.](https://divisions-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/astro70/images/sidewalk1c.max-1400x800.jpg)
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In addition to our formal, advertised series of events, we host a number of informal unannounced activities we call Guerilla Astronomy. These outreach opportunities are meant to engage people as they go about their daily lives, so we can better reach out to members of the public who may not already be enthusiastic about science.
Among these activities, we organize Sidewalk Stargazing events, where we set up telescopes on popular pedestrian streets on busy evenings where we expect a lot of passersby. We offer members of the public views of the night sky through these telescopes and discussions about whatever science questions they may have. While stargazing from brightly lit city streets isn't ideal for astronomical observation, we are still able to easily view solar system objects like Jupiter, Saturn, Venus, Mars, and the Moon. Sometimes, we'll also shoot for a view of the Orion Nebula, the Pleiades, the Andromeda Galaxy or other bright deep sky objects, but these are usually best left to observe at our Stargazing Lectures.
We also engage in something we call Science Train, where a group of us boards the LA Metro on a weekend afternoon to talk with members of the public. We hold up signs inviting people to "Ask an Astrophysicist" with some sample questions written down. This is usually enough to break the ice and start interesting discussions on what might otherwise be a boring train ride for everyone.
All told, these events are fun and a great way to engage with the public beyond traditional activities in universities and libraries. Keep an eye out for us, and we hope to run into you soon!