Astronomy fans are preparing to burn the midnight oil, using night-vision-friendly red lanterns of course, for 100 hours of astronomy outreach in the form of open-telescope nights, astronomer question and answer sessions, and online webcasts starting 2 April.

Anyone armed with an internet connection can take control of one of nine observatories remotely and snap photos of their favourite quasar or sunspot.

Headline projects will include a 24-hour live webcast called Around the World in 80 Telescopes on 3 Apri, in which astronomers from 80 different observatories will tell stories and share images of their work, and a 24-hour Global Star Party 4 April in which local astronomy clubs are encouraged to organize their own local outreach star-gazing events in unusual locales ranging from city cafes to retirement homes.

The project is part of the International Year of Astronomy, coordinated by the International Astronomy Union and UNESCO and the IAU counts on at least 1500 local events taking place in over 130 countries.

Image: morning sky over ESO’s Very Large Telescope in Chile / ESO/Y. Beletsky