By Peter Douglas
Monbulk Girl Guides earned a little slice of history on the night of Wednesday 23 May.
Many of the local guides participated in a world-record breaking occasion for the most people stargazing at the same time across multiple locations.
As part of the ABC’s broadcast of ‘Stargazing Live’ with Professor Brian Cox, the budding astronomers set their telescopes towards the night sky, along with an estimated 40,000 participants from around Australia.
All those sets of eyes observed the moon through telescopes for about 10 minutes, which eclipsed the previous record, which the Australian National University set in 2015 with just 7960 people.
Monbulk Girl Guides leader Felicity Hayes said it was a momentous occasion for the group.
“This was an extremely exciting opportunity to be part of a record-breaking attempt,” she said.
“The girls have really embraced this opportunity. It’s a great way to get them interested in astronomy and science.”
The event included participants from Brisbane, Sydney and Canberra in 14 universities, as well as over 100 schools and eight observatories.
All registered participants will receive a certificate from Guinness World Records.
Girl Guides Victoria said the event matched its objective of providing programs that encourage girls to get curious about the world and explore a variety of experiences and interests.
Meanwhile, Professor Cox said the event was much more than just an attempt to break a record.
“The real value is that many thousands of Australians have been introduced to the wonders of the night sky, and many of those will be children,” Professor Cox said.
“They will develop a lifelong interest in astronomy and science, and the impact of that will be felt for decades to come.
“Perhaps the first Australian to walk on Mars will have been inspired by this spectacular night.”
