Star-gazing parties and Skyping with astronauts

Lovers of astronomy and all things related to the stars may want to bookmark the second week of October, when planetariums, classrooms and astrophysicists around the world celebrate the UN-initiative, World Space Week.
Held each year between October 4 and 10 to commemorate the 1957 launch of Sputnik, the first man-made satellite, as well as the signing of a 1967 global treaty on space exploration, World Space Week aims to promote the developments of science, technology and space.
Last year, about 1,400 events were held at aerospace companies, schools, planetariums, museums and astronomy clubs in 80 countries around the world.
This year’s theme is “Space: Guiding Your Way” and will highlight the advances of satellite navigation to society.
Popular ideas this year include geocaching events, real-world outdoor treasure hunts using GPS-enabled devices.
At the Springfield Greene County Library District in Missouri, participants will also be able to ask astronaut Michael Hopkins questions about space over Skype, while a Tucson astronomy club will be setting up their telescopes for a star-gazing party.
A recently future-spotting travel report by Skyscanner predicts that thanks to companies like Virgin Galactic and World View Enterprises, commercial space travel will become mainstream in the next decade -- albeit one reserved for the world’s affluent.
World View Enterprises is launching a pimped-out hot air balloon that can send passengers 30 km into the earth’s orbit.
Details of World Space Week can be found at http://www.worldspaceweek.org/.
Source: Relaxnews