How do you get new people interested?

[Orion]

Your right Ving, there has to be an interest there but most of the times all I have to do is mention the "rings of Saturn" and people are stepping up to have a look.

[iceman (Mike)]

Paul the owner came up with a better idea and allowed me to place a flyer in each of the magazines, the response was huge, there are so many people in the area with scopes from housewives to retired professionals with quite a wide range of expertise in different areas, all have been informed so there may be an influx of new members soon

What a great idea, Mick.. will have to speak to my local newsagent about it.

And hope to see them sign up soon! You should print out some IceInSpace pamphlets for the newsagent as well!

My son is interested at the moment, he likes learning about the solar system and galaxies, and likes looking through the telescope when I have it out and he's not in bed yet (he's only 6). A few times I've asked him to draw what he saw (when looking at Saturn), and it was a tell-tale circle with a ring around it I've also asked him to count the moons he saw, and has always been accurate.

I hope his interest continues, but like Ving said, it's not something you can force on someone.. they either like standing out in the cold looking up, or they don't

[ving (David)]

once kyou have shown the big bright ones its hard to get as much enthusiasm from a faint smudge.
"Hey look its a galaxy!!!"
"you sure its not a fingerprint? Hmph! whts on TV, I'm cold"

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Get them to find the galaxy, don't just show it to them. (unless you have boring GoTo)

Get then to find a fairly easy one like Omega Cent. Tell them it is a zillion light years away and REALLY hard to find, then when they have found it make a big fuss about beginners luck and give them another easy one like Sombrero and tell them it is even harder to find. "Really, really hard". Finding is often better than just seeing.

Isn't Psychology handy in these situations.

[ving (David)]

got an answer for everything havent you!

[wavelandscott (Scott)]

While I can not take credit for this idea, I am happy to try and participate in it...at my oldest son's primary school, one of the Dad's offered to host an astronomy night...the school librarian got the group access to the library and the organizer ran through a little astronomy talk before taking all of the interested kids (and parents) out for a look through a telescope or two...

This school group is what helped get my son interested in Astronomy/Space and allowed me to convince my wife that we needed "stuff" (to support our son's interest...I of course acting "unselfishly" in my role as a caring parent have had to get re-acclimated to astronomy to help him learn)

All joking aside, the act of volunteering to show the kids a little about astronomy got me back into something that I really enjoy and hopefully spills over to my kids...

Needless to say at the next asronomy night at the school we (me and 2 boys)will be there with our scope!

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Scott,

Don't forget that your kids (cough, cough) will need a much bigger, better scope to pursue their interest in science which will enhance their future academic acheivments!

I'm sure you, oops, I mean 'they' will need the new GS 16" dob.

[Orion]

I remember a while back our astronomy club was holding monthly viewing nights at different schools around the Newcastle area. The teachers would make the kids line up behind the telescopes to have a look and the kids would have a ball! I couldn't get my telescope of the moon, they like looking at that big thing that looks like Swiss cheese.