Star-gazing marathon to lure 1m

At sunset today, astronomers around the world will be limbering up for a 100-hour marathon aimed at celebrating the night sky and nurturing the Galileos of tomorrow.

The exercise has been "400 years in the making," says the Paris-based International Astronomical Union (IAU), referring to observations made in 1609 by the Italian genius that swept away our conception of the Universe.

"It is a sense of discovery and awe that astronomers wish to share with our fellow citizens all over the world," says IAU president Catherine Cesarsky.