Oh such wonderful children

[proflight2000]

I thought I would give a quick report on an invitation I recieved this evening to go along to a cubs evening and discuss the finer points of Astronomy, taking into account my vast lack of real knowledge.

Questions please, the Akala asks them all, "how big is the universe" "will the universe pop" "is the universe 99,9999,9999 millions even bigger empty" (huh) "can I discuss the finer issues of the crab nebula" loaded questions me thinks. Then two lads bring in 8 inch in length telescopes around 2 inches of apeture and ask me to show them mars.

Then after a round of normal (easy for me) questions, we all go outside, wow the sky cleared, I showed them how to find the north star and gave an introduction to where the nebula is in Orion. Then I turn around and half of them are running aroud the football pitch.

But I tell you, that was one of the nicest evenings I have had in ages, those kids that did want to listen were totally facinated, I gave them all a copy of the sky at night magazine (ones I had for ages) and showed them how to view the star chart inside.

If you get the opportunity, contact a local cub group and offer your time, even if only two of the 18 take up the hobby, that is two more than yesterday. I have been invited back in a month to help mark their coursework for their astronomy badges, I gave them an easy question to answer, what is the difference between a star and a planet (I did give them the rough answer, so I am expecting A's.

[Psychobilly]

Nice to put soemthing back... my rents did 25yrs each as leaders not bad the group got another 22 years out of them after i left... for my sins I used to help supervise the science badge work...

I have to prepare to give a talk to a couple of local camera clubs on Astrophotography Had one of the club chairmen up on Sunday night whilst I was imaging Lulin...

Billy...

[proflight2000]

Actually Billy, a couple of the kids asked me about photography, I showed them some of the pictures that can be done from the ground which had been printed in the magazines, they were quite awstruck to say the least.