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Astronomy for tots - Our little nippers and the universe


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My 4 year old seems to be fascinated by my new telescope, and is always asking me to drag it out of the shed, so he could take a peek.

Although I suspect it might be a trick to avoid being put to bed in the evening, I would like to introduce him slowly to this great hobby, and open his little eyes to the universe.

It looks like several members of this forum have managed to share their passion with their children, or grand children.

Is there any book / web page / application / video you would recommend ?

I am after something very basic, presented in a fun manner, due to his young age.

I would like to start with explaining him the notion of planets, and the solar system.

Many thanks,

Hugo.

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My daughter is 4 and mad about the solar system - we used to YouTube songs about planets and galaxies, (not the Monty Python one, although it's only the last line that's a bit kid-unfriendly), they have simple colourful animations that she used to like. She's not so keen on them now, but she does like the Usbourne books for kids, including a Space Encyclopedia that is about 15 years old!

She also really loves Moon pictures as she can relate to them a bit better due to being able to see it, her pre-school did a big thing about the Harvest Moon last year so we have big plans to go up Leith Hill to see it this year.

I've only had 'our' telescope for a few days but it will be interesting if she gets to see a planet through it when they come off their holidays early next year, perhaps she will focus on that as much as the Moon?

Our son is a year younger, crazy about Star Wars, but telescopes are 'boring' apparently...

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It`s great to see children encouraged in their sense of wonder at all things. We did with ours and it instilled a love and respect for nature, wildlife and all the things that really matter. Our 4 year old granddaughter is going the same way. It sometimes seems to fade in their teens but if the grounding was there as little ones it will always resurface when they have their own kids.

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He's 4, start him on quantum mechanics before he loses his imagination, you need to exist in an imaginary world for quantum mechanics to make any sort of sense.

Same for relativity. Curvature of space-time at that age is something they will love.

Solar system and planets - you explain!

Don't need a book.

Not joking either, if he asks then sit down and explain.

Gas+dust cloud shrinking down and spinning to form the sun then the dust and crud formed the planets.

It is not difficult, so go for it.

Also don't think he will not understand, at 4 he will absorb information like a sponge.

At that age the worst thing to do is assume they will not understand and will not want more information.

Do not palm him off with "You won't understand!"

I have been asked lots by 4,5,6 year olds and they want and expect answers, reasonable one anyway.

q1) Who was Einstein. :rolleyes:

a1) He was a mathematician/physicist who came up with a theory called Special Relativity to explain Gravity.

q2) What is Special Relativity. :eek:

a2) Oh hell, here we go then..............

Been there done that. :grin: :grin: :grin:

Does mean you had better know or learn some basic ideas.

But you can learn with him.

Simple animation of the planets going round the sun: http://www.faustweb.net/solaris/

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When I was young (maybe 3/4), my mum wrote to NASA, asking if they had any info on the Voyager missions, which were all over the news at the time. They wrote back with an envelope full of technical data on the missions and glossy photos of some of the pictures taken (including the famous false colour ones of Saturn's rings) and so an obsession was born. I imagine that the NASA website will have all sorts of images aimed at younger budding astronomers now.....? If not, email them and see what they respond with?

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This might be helpful - a cbeebies miniseries that was aired last year during Stargazing live on TV   http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/stargazing/   

Let him look through the scope - in my experience, they pick up the 'no touching' etc very quickly.  The Moon is a fabulous target while there are no easy planets to observe.  We started observing when our kids were a bit older, but I remember the pride I felt when my then-7 year old set up the dob herself, found Jupiter and started observing, all independently  :grin:

There's a lot to be said for finding a good dark site and lying back on a rug together, point things out to each other.  Maybe you'll identify constellations, maybe you will just spot interesting patterns - or satellites/meteors.  Find out when the ISS is due over you and watch out for that too = even aged 12, my oldest still loves giving them a wave (and yes, she completely understands that they can't see her  :rolleyes: )

I think the most important thing is to enjoy getting them involved whenever they want to.  Sure I understand that school etc will restrict night time observing, but it's getting darker earlier.   It's a great activity to do together   :grin:

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I was given the Ladybird Book of the Night Sky when it first came out back in the 60's, I thought it was brilliant at the time and remember my dad sitting with me in the back garden as we read it and gazed at the Moon where man was first landing.

Well worth trying to source a copy.

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I downloaded Google Earth last evening, and shown him a zoom from our back garden to the Earth globe. He was mesmerised, and made him realise that we are living in a big ball.

I am taking it slowly and will be introducing him to the moon, then the solar system very soon.

This CBeebies stargazing page looks great, I am sure he will particularly enjoy the Stargazing Stories.

I will go check the Usborn books. The National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Space seems to have great reviews as well.

Thank you all for all good advice.

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  • 2 weeks later...

my both kids love stellarium. I installed it on "their" laptop and they "watch the stars" now and then by themselves. The older one writes down the names of objects he likes to watch so he can use the "search" function to locate them again. He tells me now and then that "jupiter is visible!" =) 

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+1 for the Usborne books, my daughter (5) has the SW Heritage 130P scope and gets on pretty well with it with my help she also loves laying in her room with her light up planetarium looking at the constellations on the ceiling while she goes sleep, she also has a globe which by day shows the earth and by night lights up again with all the constellations on. That and with the National Space Centre only 5 mins down the road she's hooked. But prefers dinosaurs apparently :)

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I very shyly say that I wrote a little book called 'Maia and the Shooting Star'. It's a bit soppy and girly so he probably won't like it! That's one of the reasons I won't have it published. But our beloved Sir Patrick wrote a little foreword! Chris Lintott gave a little advice. Sorry, horrendous name dropping here! But I'm so proud.

I can email you the pics and text? I should really put it together but it needs a good package like InDesign. I won't mind if you say no!

Alexxx

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