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Kids and astronomy

Jim-a

By Jim-a
in The Astro Lounge

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Jim-a

Jim-a

Posted
Posted

Occasionally my 8 year old will show an interest in looking though my scope, but I've never really worked out if its because he's really interested in Astronomy or if its just a bedtime delaying tactic.

However, something must be sinking in - last night was his school's parents evening and looking through his workbooks, in a section titled "If I ruled the world" I found this...

post-23126-0-32014000-1350547053_thumb.j

... not sure I completely agree with his destructive plans, but maybe the ring nebula is worth it :)

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earth titan

earth titan

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LOL.

I have to say my daughters (7 and a 1/2 - the half is important)homework and class work often involves space. Recently she did a project on communities and without prompting, picked the ISS.

Typed by me on my fone, using fumms... Excuse eny speling errurs.

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Capricorn

Capricorn

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:D

Perhaps you could suggest to him that just moving it out of its present orbit might be a better solution. It is a nice target for observation itself, after all.

James

All I can recall is 2 or 3 years of everyone wailing about the problems seeing and imaging anything on Mars, and next time it sticks it's head above the horizon we will get it all again. Nope, blow them up.

At least it would solve the perpetual question of is there life on Mars:- May have been, but not any more! :eek: :eek:

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Rustmonkey

Rustmonkey

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Kids are sponges. If you feed and fuel their imagination then potentially you are creating the next generation of scientists. Maybe you should suggest that if his interest is followed up and that if he applies his love of the Ring Nebula and all things astronomical, that one day he may find himself stood on Mars looking at it through a telescope. My son is in his 20's now. I so wish I could have shown him these wonderful things when he was young and maybe changed his way of thinking about the World, the Universe and our place in it.

i would absolutely encourage your kids to explore the skies. When we look up and realise how big the Universe is, then eventually we look back down and realise how small we are. It's this inward look that makes people do things that change the World.

Maybe get him interested in the Curiosity Rover....then he can see how incredible Mars is and may not be so willing to blow it up

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Jim-a

Jim-a

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We watched the Curiosity blast off, and the landing together... Mine and his names are encoded on one of the rovers chips (NASA ran a website where you could enter your name and it would be put onto some spare capacity they had), so he does have a vested interest in not blowing it up!

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pajr777

pajr777

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Occasionally my 8 year old will show an interest in looking though my scope, but I've never really worked out if its because he's really interested in Astronomy or if its just a bedtime delaying tactic.

However, something must be sinking in - last night was his school's parents evening and looking through his workbooks, in a section titled "If I ruled the world" I found this...

post-23126-0-32014000-1350547053_thumb.j

... not sure I completely agree with his destructive plans, but maybe the ring nebula is worth it :)

Fantastic - I actually laughed out loud!! That's definitely a male solution to the problem :D

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JamesF

JamesF

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James, that could be a christmas tree decoration. :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin:

Damn! Sussed again!

Now though. I think you might have hit on something. Christmas decorations made to look like planets and moons. There's a plan...

James

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Jim-a

Jim-a

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James - Planet Christmas Baubles - what a brilliant idea - I want some!!! Obviously if they were made to accurately reflect the relative sizes of the planets then you would need a pretty hefty Xmas tree branch to support Jupiter :)

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JamesF

JamesF

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Oh JamesF what scope did you use for them images of Mars ?

Skywatcher 127 Mak on an EQ3-2 with the add-on motors. The camera was an SPC900, combined with a 2.5x Revelation barlow and extension. I think the images were captured in mid-April this year.

James

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JamesF

JamesF

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James - Planet Christmas Baubles - what a brilliant idea - I want some!!! Obviously if they were made to accurately reflect the relative sizes of the planets then you would need a pretty hefty Xmas tree branch to support Jupiter :)

I think aesthetically they'd need to be of similar sizes, but I imagine with the planets and major moons there'd be enough for a reasonable set :)

James

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Naemeth

Naemeth

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That's brilliant!

Although, I'd prefer if it was nearer to Earth, so it would be easier to observe and image. Of course, if Mars were in a closer obit to the Sun, it might potentially perturb the orbit of the Moon or Earth or both. The ice caps would probably sublimate too etc... :angel:.

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teleaddict

teleaddict

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First we lose Pluto as a planet. Now if Jim-a jnr gets his way Mars will go. I wonder which will be next.....

I just love the comments kids come out with, they have an ability to put a smile on your face even when you've had a totally bad day.

I wonder if his teacher knew, what he was referring to (without looking it up)?

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x6gas

x6gas

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:D

Perhaps you could suggest to him that just moving it out of its present orbit might be a better solution. It is a nice target for observation itself, after all.

James

Which wouldn't be a problem coz the kid's a billionaire. :tongue:

Anti-war but thinks nothing of destroying an entire planet... the youth of today!

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Welrod50

Welrod50

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First we lose Pluto as a planet.

Pluto is,was and always be a planet to most of us.

I don care what the IAU says.

Pluto is a planet!! I'm with you there. I have a solar system map from 1980 that includes it, so there!!! It is, was and always will be a planet, and the last one in the solar system. TAKE NOTE IAU.

As for original post, I showed our 12 yr old son Jupiter and its four moons earlier this year. Oh wow, yeah that's ace" was the response. And then he went to play football with his mates and never mentioned it again. (sigh)

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

Maybe I'll try again when he's 30 ?!

Clear skies :)

Scott.

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Ganymede12

Ganymede12

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I'm still in school and I try to incorporate astronomy in to every little bit of work I can.

In English, we have to write a narrative (story) so I think I'll do a Sci-Fi adventure based on project Orion :D.

My Chemistry teacher is very impressed with my photos of the moon!

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