Exeter Astronomy Education Conference

The Astronomy Education Conference occurs every other year. We look forward to seeing you in June 2026!

The Exeter Astronomy Education Conference is a weeklong meeting of secondary school astronomy educators of all levels. Teachers from around the United States gather to connect with peers, generate long-term collaborations between astronomy programs at various schools, and learn about changes to the science of astronomy and astronomy education. All attendees participate on a scholarship basis. Your conference tuition, meals, and lodging are covered. Those interested should submit an application. Applicants will be notified of acceptance on a rolling basis and the conference will close when it reaches capacity.

Twelve applicants will be chosen such that individuals from a diverse astronomy education background are involved. This allows us to share our knowledge across experiences.

Topics from past conferences includes:

• Tips and tricks for successful astronomy education.
• Goals of astronomy courses: Syllabus construction to accommodate the rapid developments in the science.
• Meeting the needs of the students and the course: Prerequisites.
• Textbooks and software: available resources for the educator.
• Observing Components: Computer use in the field.
• Merging observational astronomy into classroom discussion.
• Equipment Selection: Cost versus performance analysis.
• Equipment use: From binoculars to CCD imagers.
• External Resources: User groups, associations, planetariums, other schools, etc.
• Course-long projects in observational astronomy.