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(meteorobs) Basically what happened is they'd talk about it on the news, and Joe Blow pokes



Being a member of the advertising community, one of the least accurate "sciences" around, I believe that success starts with the right message, which then has to be put it in front of the right audience.  The rest is luck.
 
The right message for meteor observing may be, "there is a chance of seeing (the Leonid Meteor Shower), if the skies are clear, if you are in a dark location (with explanation), and you can only see (the Leonids) at these times, 1AM - 4AM".  While news broadcasts have mentioned events, I have never seen pictures on television, just in newsprint.  A ten second clip of meteor activity would be invaluable to peaking interest.
 
Joe Blow is not the right audience, Joe (Potential) Meteorobs is.  Finding potential new observers is like finding new customers.  First step is determining what segments of the population are likely to try your product and then targeting your message to those segments.  Surveying the meteorobs list would be a good start to determining at least one segment.  High school and college students may be "likely" candidates.  (1) Merely staying up late is an attraction, (2) if it is a classroom topic, or (3) as a group activity.  Look at all the hype around the first night of college basketball practice, the whole school parties at midnight just to see a few over-sized jocks practicing to bounce a ball.  Maybe we can get some scantily clad cheerleaders, bathed in red spot lights, to attend Astronomy Club outings!  ZHR's would probably nose-dive.
 
Steve