The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is calling on people across the country to join it in setting a Guinness World Record for the most people in one country stargazing at the same time.
In association with the Australian National University (ANU), the record attempt is scheduled for Wednesday, 23 May.
The ABC said that to break the record for the most people stargazing at multiple venues, the ABC and ANU hoped to have more than 30,000 people observing an object in the night sky through a telescope for the same 10-minute period.
It said the current Guinness World Record, set in 2015 by the ANU, was 7,960 people across 37 locations.
“The ABC and the ANU are inviting schools, astronomy societies, community groups, and all budding galactic explorers across Australia to either host their own star party or attend one of the parties organised by the ABC in Brisbane or Melbourne, or those organised by community groups around the country in both metro and regional locations,” the ABC said.
It said the world record attempt was one of the many highlights during Stargazing Live, to be hosted by physicist, Professor Brian Cox and Julia Zemiro.
The ABC said Stargazing Live was aimed at immersing its audience in a celebration of the atmosphere, with a specific focus on features that can be observed in the Australian night sky.
