The cost of Astronomy.

[Mick]

I was at one of our local schools tonight to give a short presentation and show the kids were to find Jupiter, Mercury, Venus the Southern Cross you get the idea, it was good and everyone enjoyed the night. Before I left the teachers told me about a travelling telescope education program that was going to cost them $900 for the night. I checked out there website and no joke $10 per child minium cost $500. The website had amazing colour photos as well, just like the packaging on some telescope boxes. I'm very disappointed with this type of thing because they seem to trawl the country schools. Has anyone else come across this? Maybe it's ok I don't know but I was sick by the time I left.

[h0ughy]

I am happy to get a sausage sandwich occasionally or a school pen! Just the look on the faces and verbal reaction of when the kids see some of the nice sights is worth it. :2thumbs:

[ballaratdragons]

Never heard of them Mick.

Minimum $500 per night. WHAT A RIP OFF!
2 of us could get together and do the same thing for $300 per night. Thats $150 each per night of enjoying ourselves and showing kids the wonders of Space. Hehe. I enjoy doing it for FREE!

[davidpretorius]

kids have great imaginations and i firmly believe will be unscarred by scammers. There will always be people ripping other people off and the will always be great people like yourselves who teach for the love of it. What goes around, come around. If this forum can keep growing and schools can start to link up and us big kids can get to show off our big toys to those school kids, then Mick won't have to feel sick anymore.

[Mick]

I didn't name the people for obvious reasons. :(

I enjoyed the night with the kids $0.

[h0ughy]

might be a way to pay for your new pooter Ken!

I know some people have to "make a living" but to fleece schools/parents for something that is free. Geez, I have been to some schools that have over 300 kids turn up, not to mention regional CUB and scout camps (how I get ropedd into these things by my mates beats me, they don't even offer a bribe)

[ballaratdragons]

I couldn't do that to kids so I can buy a Pooter.

I teach Rugby League in schools for free. Sometimes covering 4 schools a day, 5 days a week, to 30-40 kids at each session. Imagine what I could make if I charged them. . . . Hmmmm:ashamed:

No, it's a privelage!

[[1ponders]]

We have a swift entrepreneur up here on the Sunshine Coast. Every Friday and Saturday night and most nights during the school holidays, there's a guy who sets up down at Mooloolaba with a big Dob (not sure what size as I refuse to go down and pay the price). He charges something like $5 a look for adults and $2 for kids. And he has people lining up to look through his scope. Suppose its not a bad way to make a living.

[ballaratdragons]

I don't think I'd have the Gall to do that.

(Gall, Gaul, Gawl, however it's spelt!)

[RAJAH235]

Right the 1st... errr... first tim.... time. :P :D L.

[ballaratdragons]

Laurie,

36 now!

[asimov]

I approached The school here some time back, just after I finished building my 12.5" to offer my 'service's' to the kid's....to give all that were interested a look through it for free of course! I wouldn't even consider charging an adult, let alone a kid!

The science teacher there said 'what's a telescope....you'll probably charge too much....the kid's are NOT interested........now rack off!'

I dont understand.

[RAJAH235]

THE Science teacher said that? Wow, he/she's forgot to close the fume cupboard door a few too many times!! :poke: :einstein: :D L.

[asimov]

Well, he didn't actually say the word's 'rack-off' words to that effect. lol.....But I got the message & racked-off.

I got the same thing back in 1975 only this time from the local council....Just finished building the 8" newt. & we approached them about starting an observatory.....They supply the land, we supply the observatory & scope......'Rack-off' LOL

[iceman]

Mick, is that the "astronomy outreach" program that Dave Reneke is running with the people from AstronomyOnline?

I'd be interested in hearing more about what the teachers said.

On the note of educating kids, I took my telescope to my son's preschool last year with a solar filter to show them the sun and talk a bit about astronomy.. unfortauntely there were no sunspots at the time, and I discovered that preschoolers are just too young by a year or two.. a lot of them couldn't close one eye and didn't really know how to look through the eyepiece.

I'm going to take my telescope to my son's kindergarten this year, but I think i've missed the boat with planet season, as now there's only jupiter left and mars is still months away (and jupiter will be gone by then). It's also much easier in EST (not EDST) because it's dark by 5:30, and you don't have to wait until 8pm when the kids are normally in bed.

[slice of heaven]

Its hard for little kids to close 1 eye and look in the ep.
I get them to cup their hand and cover their eye and then look into their hand, works ok with 2 yr olds up no prob. But dont expect them to find a faint fuzzy.

[iceman]

Yeh I ended up covering their eye for them, and looking in the pupil of their open eye hoping to see a reflection of what they were looking at, so I knew at least some photons were hitting their eye :)

[Nightshift]

Paul (1ponders) and myself both volunteer our time at the Mapleton Observatory here on the Sunshine Coast, this observatory would be the envy of most of us and is free to any school that wants to use it, we did a presentation to grade 3'ers just last Tuesday that went very well. I spend an awful lot of time with kids presenting to them the universe for free, send the poor little blighters up here, we'll edjamakate them. BTW, when it comes to kids under 7, stick with solar system and use a good relief eye piece, I can't recommend highly enough a 35mm Teleview Panoptic for this very purpose, stay away from deep sky stuff, they just don't get it. My favourite part of these presentation is the questions, particularly from 7-10 year olds, they are just the best, old enough to think of some beauties, young enough to ask them.

For observatory details go here. http://www.mapletonss.qld.edu.au/observatory/indexpage1.htm

Cheers, Dennis.

[RAJAH235]

The 'best' question I have had & heard many times is " HOW FAR CAN YOU SEE WITH THIS T'SCOPE, MISTER??? How do you give a good answer to that? 13 Billion years back, Kid!! Is that far enough? Just kidding. To see the expressions on their faces when they see the moon for the 1st time is great. Saturn & Jupiter, WOW. :D L.

[slice of heaven]

I found that question near on impossible to convey to the kids Laurie, until I came across the link below.Light years? HUH? But how fars that?
Walked them through the different views on the zooms and they have a fairly decent perspective now of how the heavens are laid out and how expanse they are.

http://www.anzwers.org/free/universe/5000lys.html

[Daring Dave]

During summer the ASV have public viewing nights...for free ! I went 2 years ago and was totally blown away....(Royal Park) I had zero knowledge of astronomy at the time and just went for a gander...

All I can say is it was fantastic....Around 20 or so members with no more than 5 queing at each scope.. I had at least 5 mins each time to view.... No rush...Lots of information....and a damn good time....

I can still remember saying to one member 'Is that Saturn' ?

[ballaratdragons]

Was it Saturn Dave?

[RAJAH235]

Great link, Geoff. Ta. :D L.