Our June Young Observers coincides with the Belgrave Lantern Festival, which celebrates the Winter Solstice.
We would love our younger members and their families to be actively involved, so instead of meeting at MBO, we hope you can join us in the parade and at the stargazing afterwards.
You may wish to carry one of the MBO lanterns, including the planets, a galaxy and the Monash Dome.
Better still, design and make your own lantern, with an astronomical theme.
You might make a model of a satellite or some other space craft or you might try an asteroid, a comet or even a telescope (no black holes please!).
Make it out of translucent materials, with a battery powered light source glowing inside.
Then turn up for the parade and proudly carry your lantern, with other MBO members.
We will meet in the carpark nearest to the Belgrave Theatre (on Burwood Highway). There is limited space for cars and the station car park is closed, so if you can come by some alternative transport it would be much better. Close to the starting time and during the parade, Burwood Highway will also be closed.
MBO staff will be there well before 4 pm.
Set-up 4.30 pm
Parade starts 5.40 pm
Event closes 8.00 pm
The parade only takes about 45 minutes but we will still have telescope viewing back in the car park and there will be a stall selling MBO merchandise right through until 8 pm.
We believe there will be food trucks and other refreshment outlets but, to be safe, it would be more reliable to bring your own food and drink. Dress warmly and be prepared for any wet weather. To date, the parade has never been rained on but it is mid-winter. If you can wear something that identifies with MBO, that would be appropriate.
We hope some of you can also stay around to help with the stall, the telescopes and packing everything up at 8 pm.
We would appreciate if you could use the sign-up link on the MBO website, so that we know how many and who are coming.
Hope to see you there.
Neil Creek