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Hi,
Based on experience setting up at several of these events here in Sydney:
- Saturn and Jupiter are good, especially if you also name a moon or 2 in the FOV as well
- Our Moon is always a big hit, especially if you name one or 2 visible features on the terminator with sizes. I think that the participants like to think "I actually observed Tycho" etc
- Mars does not wow them so much. Only if you have lots of EPs on deck
- Omega Cent or 47 Tuc are good, but you HAVE to explain to them just what they are looking at eg "120 L-y across, millions of stars etc"
- I once scored a hit by doing a little spiel on binary stars, then giving them a look at Alpha Cent - "The VERY closest to us, a light ray takes 4.4 yrs blah blah, can you see 2 stars like car headlights" (may Galileo forgive me that one)
- Then we swung around to Albireo "Tell me what you see here, these 2 are blah blah" They just LOVED the colours. Another candidate would be 32 Eridanus or Iota Orion, but you can never spend any time searching, so a go-to mount is good. It was intensive
- A nebula - well, they are grey visually, only the Orion Neb or Eta Carina qualify, but even then, you have to be slick with the info. Trapezium when it is up, you can do a quick talk on star nurseries.
- M57 when seeing is good "This will be the fate of our Sun etc". Oh....you may be too far South
- the Jewel Box, all those
The biggest problem you will have is guests grabbing the EP (it seems genetic) and slewing it away. Also bring some 3-step ladders (thanks Alex) as they are very handy for the littlies
Cheers
Last edited by GeoffW1; 27-08-2014 at 06:42 PM.
Reason: Too insulting
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