Met another IIS member

Liz · #1 17-09-2009, 08:12 PM

Our Townsville Astronomy Group headed out to James Cook Uni last night to show some sights to 80-100 astronomy students.
We were quite worried in case we had some severely tricky question

to cope with, but we luckily had 'renormalised' there to assist us. He did a great job in giving explainations and info on all that scientific stuff ... that goes over my head

Yeah, thanks again Carl!!

jjjnettie (Jeanette) · #2 17-09-2009, 08:33 PM

Sounds like you all had a fine time.
I'd be so daunted by all those students.
Good on ya Carl for helping out.

DavidU (Dave) · #3 17-09-2009, 09:15 PM

I would like to meet Carl one day.

renormalised (Carl) · #4 17-09-2009, 09:47 PM

Very happy to have been there to assist. It was a lot of fun and I had a good time. The students were very interested in looking through the scopes and it was good for them to able to do so. It's one thing to learn about astronomy from textbooks and to be given lectures in the various areas of astronomy, it's another entirely to actually get to put that knowledge to practice. It reinforces everything they learn and gives them something to sink their teeth into. Dr Aimee Norton was a very amiable person and I think she was glad to have us there. I hope we can get to do that again at some stage.

Robh (Rob) · #5 17-09-2009, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Liz

Our Townsville Astronomy Group headed out to James Cook Uni last night to show some sights to 80-100 astronomy students.

Liz,
That's a lot of astronomy students. Were they actually doing a course in the subject or were they students doing other courses who were interested in astronomy? How did the observations go?
Good on you both (you and Carl)!

Regards, Rob.

renormalised (Carl) · #6 17-09-2009, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robh

Liz,
That's a lot of astronomy students. Were they actually doing a course in the subject or were they students doing other courses who were interested in astronomy? How did the observations go?
Good on you both (you and Carl)!

Regards, Rob.

The students were doing the subject PH1002, which is a first year physics subject in Astronomy. Unfortunately at present, JCU doesn't have an undergrad degree course for Astronomy. Mainly because of funding, but also because it has concentrated on the postgrad degrees till now. I would like to see an undergrad course develop on what we do already have. Most of the students who were there were physics/science students.

The observations went very well. Most of the students hadn't observed through a telescope before and many were quite surprised at what they could see. They enjoyed it quite a lot and it was good to be able to field their questions. They are a clued in lot and I think Aimee probably has an interesting time teaching them.

Robh (Rob) · #7 17-09-2009, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by renormalised

The observations went very well. Most of the students hadn't observed through a telescope before and many were quite surprised at what they could see. They enjoyed it quite a lot and it was good to be able to field their questions. They are a clued in lot and I think Aimee probably has an interesting time teaching them.

It continually amazes me as to how many people have never seen the moon or a planet or any other object through a telescope. For these students, their first experience will be one they will not soon forget!

Good one! Rob

renormalised (Carl) · #8 17-09-2009, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robh

It continually amazes me as to how many people have never seen the moon or a planet or any other object through a telescope. For these students, their first experience will be one they will not soon forget!

Good one! Rob

I know people who don't even look up at the stars or the Moon with their own eyes!!!. Too busy staring at their navels and toes. I think a lot of it has to do with our education system and it's a sad indictment on that system. I also think it's sad that our society in general doesn't encourage the wonder in science and other important subjects, as well as in the learning process.

I think those students will remember the night for quite some time.

BerrieK · #9 17-09-2009, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by renormalised

I know people who don't even look up at the stars or the Moon with their own eyes!!!. Too busy staring at their navels and toes.

LOL ! Its a long time since I've seen my navel and toes ..... perhaps thats why I like to look at the stars and moon.

Liz, it sounds as though you had a very busy night, very enjoyable. Its always good so have someone else to field tricky questions though isn't it! Well done. And to Carl too.

Kerrie

Jen · #10 17-09-2009, 11:05 PM

That awsome Liz hope you converted a few more from that
Hey can i borrow Carl i could do with his expertise down this way

renormalised (Carl) · #11 17-09-2009, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jen

Hey can i borrow Carl i could do with his expertise down this way

Me = "expert"????

Even after staring at the stars for as long as I have, I'm still just a student.

Octane (Humayun) · #12 17-09-2009, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by renormalised

Dr Aimee Norton was a very amiable person

^ I see what you did there!

Sounds like a great night. Well done.

Regards,
Humayun

Liz · #13 18-09-2009, 02:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jen

That awsome Liz hope you converted a few more from that
Hey can i borrow Carl i could do with his expertise down this way

Am sure we could work out some kind of deal

I was very surprised that it seemed like most of the kids had never looked through a scope before

.... and 99% were overwhelmed with what they saw, which is always the highlight in showing off these sights.

stephenb (Stephen) · #14 18-09-2009, 05:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Liz

.... and 99% were overwhelmed with what they saw, which is always the highlight in showing off these sights.

And in the end, that's what it's all about

Sounds like a successful evening. Well done to you both.

Jen · #15 18-09-2009, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by renormalised

Me = "expert"????

Even after staring at the stars for as long as I have, I'm still just a student.

yeah well i have taken a lot of notice of your deep D&M's around this place

renormalised (Carl) · #16 18-09-2009, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Am sure we could work out some kind of deal

Didn't know I was up for sale!!!

renormalised (Carl) · #17 18-09-2009, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jen

yeah well i have taken a lot of notice of your deep D&M's around this place

Glad someone has

renormalised (Carl) · #18 18-09-2009, 09:22 AM

What would be good is if we could've gone on for a bit longer...waited till some real goodies came up, like Andromeda and such. Although I don't think too many would hang around for that long!!!!.

Liz · #19 18-09-2009, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by renormalised

What would be good is if we could've gone on for a bit longer...waited till some real goodies came up, like Andromeda and such. Although I don't think too many would hang around for that long!!!!.

Agree ... that would've knocked their socks off!!! Couldnt find a galaxy at all

Shame we couldnt see SMC either, just a bit too light.
Omega Centauri would have neen awesome too, except for those damn trees

Ring Nebula looked impressive as usual, though my scope was in wrong position, with another tree in the way.

renormalised (Carl) · #20 18-09-2009, 09:43 AM

There were plenty of galaxies up at the time, but with all that skyglow it would've been difficult to see any of them. Only sure way to get them would've been to use a GStar to drag them out of the skyglow and stick them on a monitor. And, maybe up the power rating on those laser pointers and cut off a few offending branches on those trees