Last Friday was the local Elementary school astronomy night. It was cloudy, but they did have their portable planetarium set up and I took a couple of my scopes and set them up in the gym.
One was an ST80 (Apogee) on an EQ-1, which could easily focus across the gym. Most of the kids accepted the "look with your eyes and not your hands", but several requred lots of reminders. The moon finally was visible through the clouds and we took it outside. The image through the clouds was terrible, but it sure was a popular view.
I also had my home made 10" scope powered by a Dob Driver. I put plastic wrap over the mirror box and then let kids take turns steering. Fun, but not nearly as much as looking at that fuzzy view of the moon through the clouds. I guess the big one didn't look enough like a telescope for most kids.
I'll take these scopes back again, but if I ever get a premium APO I'll bet it stays at home.
Charlie
One was an ST80 (Apogee) on an EQ-1, which could easily focus across the gym. Most of the kids accepted the "look with your eyes and not your hands", but several requred lots of reminders. The moon finally was visible through the clouds and we took it outside. The image through the clouds was terrible, but it sure was a popular view.
I also had my home made 10" scope powered by a Dob Driver. I put plastic wrap over the mirror box and then let kids take turns steering. Fun, but not nearly as much as looking at that fuzzy view of the moon through the clouds. I guess the big one didn't look enough like a telescope for most kids.
I'll take these scopes back again, but if I ever get a premium APO I'll bet it stays at home.
Charlie
Fort Lewis Observatory: (37.238, -108.052) ~2360m (7744 ft.) elevation.
Darkness - typically 6.5+
Scope - Meade 16" LX200; f6.3 focal reducer
Focus - JMI Smart focus
Camera - SBIG ST-10XE; (~.5"/pixel)
Guiding - AO-8 and/or Meade 5"/DSI/PHD
http://www.fortlewis.edu/observatory
