How one couple is directing the Pokémon Go hordes towards astronomy

For the last two years Tasz has been spending his spare evenings hanging out on the waterfront boardwalk with his telescope. Since the Pokémon Go craze hit he's been setting up in Clergue Park to draw from them increased night time activity. Photo by Jeff Klassen for SooToday

1 / 1 For the last two years Tasz has been spending his spare evenings hanging out on the waterfront boardwalk with his telescope. Since the Pokémon Go craze hit he's been setting up in Clergue Park to draw from them increased night time activity. Photo by Jeff Klassen for SooToday

A couple is luring people in with Pokémon Go, using vague language to generate some interest, and then unlocking the mysteries of the universe before people’s very eyes.

That’s how local hobby-astronomer Ben Tasz and his girlfriend Nicole Lamoureux have been using the Pokémon Go craze to get people into astronomy, sometimes a hundred people at a time.

For the last two years Tasz has been spending his spare evenings hanging out on the waterfront boardwalk with his telescope.

He likes to approach and talk to people who walk by, encouraging them to have a look.

“I try to say ‘hey do you want to see something cool?’ and I don’t mention planets and make it seem kind of vague. I want them to think they might see an alien or something different. I try to avoid saying exactly what they’re going to see because I want them to look through the telescope and actually discover something,” he said.

People will often take him up on the offer.

Those that do are usually amazed by an image of Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, or the Moon, and on occasion he’ll even point to nebulae and galaxies.

Since Pokémon Go became a worldwide phenomenon, local players have been congregating in hordes to the waterfront area of Clergue Park and beside the Art Gallery of Algoma, areas full of Pokéstops and Pokémon Gyms.

Lamoureux saw how big the craze was and while they were out one night she had the idea that instead of Tasz setting up on the boardwalk near the mall that they both go down to Clergue Park where the game enthusiasts hang out.

The two work as a team.

Lamoureux will set Pokémon Go lures to attract virtual-creatures.

This draws in other players who see the lure and also want to take advantage of it.

When the people start crowding around they’ll often glance at Tasz who will keep an eye out for curious people and approach them.

“For people stopping by, Saturn is the belle of the ball - it’s what they want to see. The rings are so huge; you can’t look at it without feeling awe. It’s pretty incredible, especially for the first time,” said Tasz, who actually got into astronomy himself after someone showed him Saturn through the lens.

Since he’s moved over to Clergue Park his “foot traffic” has increased.

“Compared to last year the turnouts are pretty amazing especially considering how late I’m doing these. I’m setting up at 12 a.m. and you’d think people would be asleep but everyone is out looking for Pokémon,” he said.

On Thursday evening Tasz set up by the waterfront in Clergue Park and people were approaching every five minutes.

Tasz, a teacher by trade, exudes a natural enthusiasm and curiosity that seems to rub off on people.

One person who looked through the telescope on Thursday said, "That’s so cool. I might order one of those for myself.”

“Ben just wants to show people his passions of astronomy and teaching. Some people will just walk by and stare and you can tell they are just hoping he’ll ask them and everyone’s loved it so far,” said Lamoureux.

Tasz got into astronomy two years ago and has made a place for himself in the community by being the guy who uses entry-level gear and cheap technology to produce amazing night sky images.

He’s taken a $100 telescope and a $40 webcam and produced images of planets that just amaze people.

He posted a montage of some of these on Reddit and after 5300 upvotes on the /r/space subreddit he made the front page.

‘That’s Link Karma for original content, ooo yeah,” said Tasz.

For those who don’t Reddit, it just means a lot of people liked his photos.