Easy Backyard DSO for kids

[wavelandscott (Scott)]

This weekend I will be helping to show some primary school age children some "telescopic" sights in the night sky...

I was hoping that some of you might offer a few suggestions for things that might be interesting to see for the kids...

Please keep these things in mind...

The scopes available will range from the small Australian Geographic refractors to my 12.5 inch Dob...

We will be looking in early evening and will conclude about the time it really starts to get dark...

All of the viewing will be in our light polluted school grounds...

Oh, and as usual, about 1/2 half of the kids who will attend will most likely be happier to run around in the dark chasing each other than trying to see through a scope...so the easier it is to see the better...

I will be consulting some Astro software later in the week but was curious what things came to the top of your collective brains...

Thanks!

[seeker372011 (Narayan)]

Jupiter
Omega Centauri
the Jewel box
Alpha Centuri
Eta Carina
The Clouds if you can see them at all

[ving (David)]

alpha crux
venus
omega neb
some globs in sag
the neighbours

[Robby]

The constellations without a scope..
How to find south using the stars.
The problems with light pollution...

[dhumpie]

Open clusters are always a hit. Try M6, M7, false comet cluster and the jewel box. In general I find that kids find it harder to see fainter stuff (due to eye positioning etc.)so if you have a very large scope or a very bright object, that will work better.

Darren

[wavelandscott (Scott)]

Thanks All,

Your lists look a lot like what I was thinking