Usually you check out books from your local public library. Sometimes you check out music or movies. And sometimes, if you are quite lucky, you get to check out an astronomy-themed game in which the winner earns the title of “Best Astronomer”!
On the display shelves of my hometown library was a big, square game box that said on the top, “Starry Night Sky”. On the back it said,
In this game of celestial discovery, you’ll explore the wonders of the night sky with your trusty telescope. Each turn, cast your gaze across the heavens to locate new stars and map them onto constellations…. At the end of the night, only one player will score the most points and earn the title of “Best Astronomer” to win Starry Night Sky!
Hah! I simply had to check this game out! After all, who could pass up the opportunity to be named “Best Astronomer”? Have you ever read the VO’s Annual Reports? (Click here for them.) I have — I edit those reports and read every word. I am no slouch, but I am not going to ever be named “Best Astronomer” at the VO. The men and women who I would be competing against for that title are just too sharp. But I might be able to win “Best Astronomer” in a game.
“Starry Night Sky” has an astronomy theme, but it is really a rather abstract mapping game. You take your telescope pawn and explore “constellations” of stars. The constellations consist of only a few stars each, and have descriptive names like “musing teacher”, “humble radish”, “joyful dancer” and “trusty lantern”; they are more in the mode of Chinese constellations than large western constellations like Orion or the Great Bear.
But aside from the terminology of “constellations”, “stars” and “telescopes”, “Starry Night Sky” is not particularly astronomical. The pawns could be automobiles. You could be driving around visiting states instead of constellations, marking cities rather than stars. And besides, you don’t use a telescope to learn constellations — you use your eyes.
“Starry Night Sky” would seem like a great game for older kids, but it has small pawns, lots of little star markers, and diminutive disks to mark points of discovery. All of these are very easily disturbed. I played the game in a group of four adults, and we managed at one point to accidentally scatter things pretty badly. Kids are likely to have even more troubles with the delicate nature of the game.
Nevertheless, the game’s astronomy theme is fun. There is enough complexity to the game to require some strategizing. And, of course, the winner is “crowned Best Astronomer”! That is a great selling point, all on its own.
The VO needs to buy a couple copies of “Starry Night Sky” for the next Vatican Observatory Summer School. Leave them sitting around. I’m betting the game would be a hit with the students!
