Seeing in the Dark: Film and Web site Evaluation

Overall, film viewers and Web site visitors responded positively to the project. Audiences of the film said they were encouraged by and learned the most about the personal stories of amateur astronomers contributing to scientific discovery and were impressed with the visuals presented in the film. Web site visitors consistently liked the design of the site and particularly enjoyed images and tools for viewing the night sky. Study participants said they would encourage further development of the project. They said that while the current design may exclude those who do not already have an interest in science and younger audiences, these populations could be and should be reached. The appendix of this report includes the surveys and interview protocol used in the study.