I have a tear in my eye.

[Catanonia]

My 9 year old son lives with his mum after our divorce.

I am re-married and well, times with him have been difficult.

Just got a call off him wanting to stay on our w/e together and bring his telescope that he has just bought with his pocket money and sit in the observatory with me :)

Almost crying when he called and said that, his decision, no pressure from his mum.

So now I have to find a way to mount a plastic telescope from my mount

He wants to go to bed early and be woken up to sit outside in the summer night sky in the obs and look at the stars. I had best get to grips with Observing rather than imaging for those nights.

What would be best to show him next w/e assuming the weather is good. Talking visual observing on my ED120 or ED80 for a 9 year old smart kid. I don't really know other than M51, M13, M92 maybe. Hopefully the moon will be out. Jupiter is too low for me

Thanks SGL

[adamsp123]

I very much hope all goes well as I am sure it will, main factor I suspect will be the weather.

[ncjunk]

Got to be M31 in that list! especially if you are talking 3 am ish

Neil C

[adamsp123]

Oh just thought - check for ISS passes/iridium flares

[barkis]

Seems to me the lads main priority is just to spend time with his dad.

He knows of your interest in astronomy, and used it to make a bridge. Of course I could be way off beam here, but you could just make him very welcome, talk about astronomy, then get on to other things like school, his friends stuff like that. Any problems he might have.

Anyway, your his hero, you should know him well.

Ron.

[MikeP]

I was going to write more or less exactly what Ron wrote. He'll be happy just to be spending time with his dad.

Mike

[Mikea]

I totally agree with Ron. It won't matter what you show him in the sky; it will all be appreciated because you are together. Explain your telescopes to him, explain how he should use his new telescope. Hopefully show him the moon in his scope. You will be fine. I hope the weather is good for you

[SpookyKatt]

You could also try M27 and M57 although they may not be too visible.

I too hope everything goes well and hopefully the skies will play ball

to give yous a great night.

Regards

Kathleen

[Doc]

Quality time i love it....

M27, M13, M57, M11 and M31 the five biggest crowd pullers this time of year.

[Tim]

ditto what Ron said.

When my six year old comes out, he doesnt really want to look at stuff thru the scope, (good cus I dont wanna take the camera off!) but we just sit cuddled up looking for shapes in the constellations, and hes pleased to go away with a new star name.

[Catanonia]

Hope i can be the dad he wants me to be. My prob is I am a Army lad, like my dad and well, kids are hard.

I was brought up as an army brat to be tough, and then i went the same way.

grrrr, hate life at times.

thnxs all, something i need to sort.

[Catanonia]

ditto what Ron said.

When my six year old comes out, he doesnt really want to look at stuff thru the scope, (good cus I dont wanna take the camera off!) but we just sit cuddled up looking for shapes in the constellations, and hes pleased to go away with a new star name.

.... My gut feeling is this as well. I am the problem, i know it.

[Ant]

Yeah Iagree.

My lad is 6. He's over the moon just to be carrying cases and extension leads for me. It's the time we spend together that he enjoys, not what we actually do.

This time of year it's a shame because he goes to bed too early to actually see the stars. But later in the year will be good.

Ant

[steve_bham]

I hope the weather is clear that weekend, i bed you was really touched when he phoned. Fingers crossed all goes to plan.

[Capricorn]

As you originally said "You have to mount his scope on a tripod". Not yours.

Also (no matter how bad/good) his scope is probably giving as good a view as Galileo managed from his "old" thing. It is doing its job of collecting light and giving an image (hopefully).

I presume that the DSO's mentioned are to be seen via your equipment. Find something for his.

Isn't Jupiter running around somewhere at the moment?

Mizer is always visible, you just want to be able to get 2 dot out of one.

Polaris is a double (eventually a triple but I think you need hubble)

Also the Pleadies.

Scribble down a few things that anyone can see/find.

As said the ISS would be a good thing but it may not be possible.

If you use tonightssky and enter you lat/long, and a horizon (say 40 deg (high)) and pick not so faint objects then maybe he would like to pick out something to look at. Basically don't go through a set of items that you have arranged, let him make some of the choices. Kids these days are familiar with computers so he will pick it up easily.

Oh yeah and coffee and biscuits.

[ncjunk]

oooohh and some chocolate or something for part way through...or some other snacky fun food. and enjoy yourself.....and i am sure he would love controlling the scope with the hand controller. I know i would have (being allowed to have a go on something normally off limits is great).

nc

[starlady]

My nephews love looking at Albireo, any double stars with a colour variation is exciting for them - they are 8, 11 and 14. M81 and M82 are quite small in my scope but they liked them 'cos they could see the different orientations of them. I also bought them 'A deck of stars' from my local Waterstones, its a pack of glow in the dark cards showing the constellations.

Most of all I think he just wants to spend time with you.

[ron.s.g]

just a good get together will thrill him and any points you can show him will add to the bonding which will take place,as mentioned some sandwiches with some hot choc will go a long way to relaxing everyone before sleep time,i'm sure he will love being out with you no matter what as long as your talking to him,enjoy the time as they grow so quickly,regards ron.s.g

[dogfish]

.... My gut feeling is this as well. I am the problem, i know it.

It was this that brought a choking feeling to my throat (I'm not going to say "tear to my eye", I'm too hardbitten for that). I'm a clinical psychologist by day and I know that you recognising that it's sometimes your fault that things don't go smoothly, is half the battle already. Have a great weekend with your son.

Martin

[Jaffa007]

Being a Dad is the greatest, hard work, but it's moments like this that you will remember for a lifetime. I know I remember my first time stargazing with my Dad, 20+ years ago.

Us Dad's know everything, in our childrens eyes, he'll be in amazement at what he'll see and be told by you. Just being in your company doing something he know's you like is what he'll remember. He's obviously interested in astronomy, as he see's you are, which is good.

I hope you both have a great weekend, day's & nights.

Clear skys!

James

[Vega]

What a great thread, im not a dad but working for a youth organisation have half an idea of the importance of quality dad/son time and what better way to do it!

This would be my list in order of viewing..

Alcor/Mizar double, Bodes galaxies, M57, Alberio, M13, M22, M27, M31, Perseus Double Cluster (if late enough).

Most importantly a good look at the Milky Way with mk 1 eyeballs if location is dark. :-)

Matt

[Belfastman1958]

Hi.

As someone who has been in this position before you, please believe me when I tell you that your son will be more than happy just to be sitting out under the stars with you and finding constellations and star names.

I was in the same position some years ago. I used to take him camping regularly and at night, when the weather permitted, I would sit on the chair with him on my knee and showing him the star constellations. To this day I can still remember him asking me what the name of the moving star was. He had spotted a sattelite and I never even knew it. We sat there for hours just watching them and eating sweets.

Believe me, these are moments that will go with you and your son for a long time.

Alan.

[Phil Fargaze]

Plan B. If it is cloudy, how about trying to have some of the recent programmes about the moon landing recorded.

[Catanonia]

Plan B. If it is cloudy, how about trying to have some of the recent programmes about the moon landing recorded.

Cheers guys

Got sky recording it all right now as I am imaging under the clear skies tonight

[speedytweedy]

currently watching "Moonwalk One" in HD on discovery, realy good.