The joys of discovery.

[Swoop1]

Last night was the October meeting of my Astro Society and, in addition to the usual attending members, we had 2 groups of first-time visitors, including a mum, dad and teenage daughter.

They all seemed to enjoy our guest speaker, Dr Lillian Hobbs who gave a presentation on the Lunar 100 and dad was very grateful for help in how to set up the small Newtonian they had brought for their daughter but, the highlight for me was the post meeting observing session.

We assembled at a local cricket club car park and, our observing coordinator set up his 8" Newtonian and I set up my C6 SCT.

The Newt started on Saturn and I went straight to Jupiter with 25mm EP. mum and dad enjoyed the views, but their daughter was absolutely blown away by what she was seeing.

I then moved on to the moon and continued with the 25mm for a bit. Again, the young lady really enjoyed herself at the EP but, when I swapped to the 10mm and took her right into the terminator, revealing little points of light where peaks were catching the sun whilst surrounded by shadows, she was almost speechless.

Watching then joy of discovery is very satisfying when you have had a part in facilitating it.

 

[glafnazur]

Good stuff, I've had a few nights like that with our astro society, it makes it all worthwhile. 

[Paul M]

Those moments of connection will last that young lady a lifetime.

I still remember my first Jupiter/Saturn/ Mars... maybe 45 years all bunched up in Leo.

The dance of the planets never gets boring.

[MarcuSmythe]

Thankfully I am still left speechless quite often at 57. It is why I keep coming back.

[Peter Drew]

This is exactly what keeps me motivated to do outreach during the last 40 years.    🙂