Yes I was asked to get a group of people together for BBC News yesterday too.
They managed to show the bit where I said “Saturn and Mercury are low down over there but we can’t see them” on the Breakfast news version but chose not to in the 10 pm News.
I agree it’s not the most accurate representation but people are getting out and looking up. My neighbours who I dragged out to be a crowd for the TV crew loved it. Catherine Heymans got us out doing some public stargazing in Edinburgh a couple of weeks ago and 200 excited people turned up to look through telescopes. More tionight hopefully.
Whatever it is, it’s working though. We’ll need to keep providing some reality without putting people off. Show them the good stuff!
Mark
British Astronomical Association
Supporting amateur astronomers since 1890