“Say SaturNday” to Help Stellafane!

Al has always emphasized the astronomical connection in some names for the days of the week. He has a certain fondness for “SATURNday”, but he’ll also wish you a happy “SUNday” and say he’ll see you on “MOONday” too. In 2014, Al codified his feelings on “SATURNday” when he wrote a short essay entitled, “It’s SaturNday. Spread the Word and Change the World”. Written out for the first time was Al’s aspirational wish to rename the day of the week to “SATURNday”. This was based on the reaction people have when viewing the ringed planet for the first time. “Saturn’s startling beauty can open the door to wonders and knowledge about the universe that can inspire a love and appreciation of all the arts, sciences, and history”, wrote Al. “So let’s use Saturn as a means to enrich our future and help preserve our earthly paradise,” he continues. This mini essay was distributed at the 2014 Northeast Astronomy Forum (NEAF) and displayed there every year since.

When Al Nagler’s “SaturNday” essay was read at the 2024 Stellafane Convention, it was enthusiastically received. The response from the attendees was such that the Stellafane club asked Al if they could use this concept for their fundraising. Al, a long-time benefactor of the group, agreed. So help support Stellafane, the birthplace of amateur telescope making in America and spread the “Say SaturNday” movement through a purchase on their “Stellafane Friends Shop”.

Each “Say Saturnday” item is printed with a image of Saturn in the front and excerpts from Al’s essay superimposed on the “Little Man” on the back.

You can read about Al’s impressions of the 2024 Convention and find a link to his essay on our blog post “Stellafane: Al’s Voyage ‘Home’”.