Backyard astronomy is no longer confined to a plot of grass. I had 90,000 people tuning in to watch a full moon recently – bizarre, considering that I first started using the telescope to try to get my young daughters into astronomy. Social media has turned these ‘scope sessions into community events, where people ask and answer questions, share screenshots, and get started in amateur astronomy themselves. I’ll share how you can get started in doing your own backyard astronomy and the value of involving your friends and followers early on.