Just purchased a scope for my school and would appreciate advice from users

[MikeinTewks]

:sunny: Purchased a Meade EXT 105 following excellent advice from Steve in London Camera Exchange (Exeter). I teach physics (last 4 years) and now really into astronomy. Want to enthuse student at my school as we now include this as an option at A-level. Lots of staff at school really want to look through the scope as I have told them how fantastic Saturn and the Moon look - limited experience as I'm still learning how to use the autostar and poor sky recently. I would appreciate any advice on how you set up sessions for pupils. I teach in the centre of Gloucester but school field should offer reasonable viewing ? Hills not far away. Mike

[lunator]

Mike

Bucket loads of experience here.

I am looking into using a school field for my local AS observing site.

One question. Have you stood at the site at night and worked out if there are any annoying lights?

Look straight up on a clear night and let your eyes get used to the dark then find the faintest star you can see. Look up the star in a star atlas and this will tell you haw ark your site is and if looking for faint objects could be difficult.

Cheers

Ian

[FLO]

... Want to enthuse student at my school as we now include this as an option at A-level.

Welcome aboard Mike

I look forward to reading your posts,

Steve

[Jamie]

Welcome Mike enjoy your time here.

[tom.yates]

Welcome

[OXO]

Welcome aboard Mike..

James

[OXO]

I would appreciate any advice on how you set up sessions for pupils.

Is this for a lesson in the Daytime or an evening Mike?

James

[Naz]

Welcome to SGL Mike,

nabban

[MikeinTewks]

Thanks for the welcome. I will need loads of advice. I will be running a couple of lessons during our activity week in the summer (daytime) but also hope to run several sessions after school and it is these which need most thought and advice. Missed the best time as winter and dark nights are going - but by next Autumn, I should be much better prepared and knowledgeable.

We have also used the Schools Faulkes Telescope Project run by Cardiff University which is brilliant for day time class activities as the 2m scopes are based in Hawaii and Australia (new one). Worth having a look at these. http://www.faulkes-telescope.com/ Cardiff support team are very good.

Glad this site has a spell check !! Mike

[daz]

Welcome along Mike

Here's an idea - if you have a projector and a portable pull-down white screen, you could hook up the scope and project the image. That way you can reach many more people - and it keep's prying fingers off delicate optics

I may be down in Cheltenham at some point in the next few weeks. If I do, I'll shout and we can maybe do a joint session - What do you think?