Converting the relatives

[Twokids]

Hi all,
I have been busy converting my relatives to the wonderful hobby of amateur astronomy .
I organised a get together for my parents-in-law, brothers and sisters-in-law and their kids so they could have a look through my telescopes. All but one had never looked through a telescope before.
I set up my daughters 60mm refractor, 3inch reflector, 4.5inch reflector and 10inch dob for them to look through.
Boy was I proud of my 5 year old daughter . She took her older cousins aside and showed them how to use the little telescope to look at the moon, pointed out Mars and Orion to them and could name a few of the brighter stars. I had no idea that she had retained that much information.
I left the 3 and 4.5inch scopes with some EP's so the adults could move them around and play with the EP's and get a feel for how it all works. Everyone had a lot of trouble with the equatorial mount though. They really aren't designed for newbies. If I set it up on something though, most of them could work out how to use the slow motion controls to keep it in the eyepiece for long enough to have a good look.
I spent the night showing everyone things that could be seen in the big dob.They were impressed with the view of the moon at the start, but then I moved on to things like the orion neb and 47tuc and they were awestruck. Later on in the night Saturn was high enough for viewing. That had people fighting over the eyepiece . They just couldn't get over the fact that they were looking at another planet.
The night ended at 1.30am when someone realised how long we had been out there, and they had to be up for work in 6 hours. Welcome to astronomy!!!
I have a feeling that there might be a few new telescopes in the family over the coming months . A few of the adults were asking about what telescopes they should consider looking at.
I might even have better luck convincing them to get me a shiny new EP instead of plants for the garden for my upcoming 30th birthday.
Anyway, just thought I would share. There's nothing better than seeing someones reaction to looking through a telescope for the first time .

[asimov (John)]

Good on ya Jodie! I've tried this a few times but nah, not really interested. I've been trying to get the kids next door interested, no luck there either lol. 'Everyone to their own' I guess.

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

What a cool story!!!!

Ain't it great when they show interest instead of saying "that's nice dear (yawn)"

[Astroman (Andrew Wall)]

Know it all to well Ken

[xstream (John)]

Great story Jodie.
Seems like you had a most successful night.

[ving (David)]

yup, they either like what they see or the disinterest is so thick you can almost cut it with a knife

onya joddles!!!

[davidpretorius]

cmon dad, stop lurking.

great signature jodie.

are you coming to star camp in march (snake valley) with your daughter?

I know i can get frustrated when the cassini ring is not perfect all the way around saturn and then i rememeber that people are out there that are new and get blown away with a glimpse of mars with a jetstream of 1000m/s rocketing past.

it is a great hobby for humanity!!!

[Twokids]

Originally Posted by ving

onya joddles!!!

That's a new one . I've never been called Joddles before. I used to get Jodster as a kid. There's not much you can do with the name Jodie .

Originally Posted by davidpretorius

cmon dad, stop lurking.

great signature jodie.

Yeah, my Dad has been lurking around reading posts. He's interested in grinding his own 10inch mirror. He's the sort of person that likes to build things for himself. The eternal tinkerer

Originally Posted by davidpretorius

are you coming to star camp in march (snake valley) with your daughter?

I don't think we will be going to the star camp. I have yet to find a way to fit the scope and family in the car. I don't think they will be happy in the boot

[Robert_T]

you're very lucky Jodie (Joddles, Jodstar... ) I wish I could get my own kids (3 of 'em ranging 7 to 11) or other nearest and dearest interested in having a look let alone any of them becoming proficient enough to show someone else around. Actually I'd settle for Ken's "that's nice dear (yawn)".

Must be in the way you present it eh I'll work on that!

cheers,

[mickoking]

G,day cobbers

I am currently working at getting my 6 year old interested in astronomy. Kids can be so fickle

Yes astronomy is a great hobby for humanity.

[Twokids]

Originally Posted by Robert_T

Must be in the way you present it eh I'll work on that!

I must admit I organised a BBQ for them as well. People can never resist a BBQ

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Micko,

That's a strange looking blonde-haired Tripod for a Konus Scope! It must wobble a bit!!


Yoda (Jodie),

Make sure the BBQ smoke has gone before trying to view

[Twokids]

Yoda???

[gaa_ian (Ian)]

Good on you Jodie, It is always satisfying show interested people for the first time.
I have seem some people so excited by their first views through a scope, that they were jumping around with excitement

[asimov (John)]

Someone is bound to change it to 'YODDLES' soon Jodie....so it may as well be me!

Just joking! I'll stick with Jodie. lol.

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

You've found Astronomy, and now you are spreading the word!
I wonder how many converts you made that night?

[ving (David)]

Originally Posted by Twokids

That's a new one . I've never been called Joddles before. I used to get Jodster as a kid. There's not much you can do with the name Jodie .

sorry, I have a friend with the same name... I call her Joddles

[Twokids]

Originally Posted by ving

sorry, I have a friend with the same name... I call her Joddles

No problem . It since gone from that to Yoda, to Yoddles.

Are you calling me small and green with big pointy ears???

[hogly52 (Graeme)]

Only if you are small and green, and have big pointy ears!

Good to hear your story of sharing the experience and excitement.

Graeme