January 7, 2009
How did we ever get anything done while we were working?
All the appointments, household repairs, shopping, etc. were packed into a small part of our work day. Now, it takes us nearly the entire morning to get up, have a coffee, take a walk, maybe take in a little shuffleboard and plan the day. An errand to the store takes us an afternoon! What’s up with that? Our days go by like water through a broken dam. To top it off, it seems like all we do is plan our days around eating! Yikes! The campground offers an evening meal, an afternoon BBQ, and more than a couple of ice cream deserts over the course of each week. Between our meals, we’re on the go or taking part in park activities.
Recently, I’ve connected with a family from Canada and held an impromptu “Star Party” for their daughter, Tanya. We had more than a little fun trying to decipher each other’s language as I pointed out several celestial objects in my telescope. The brief time under the stars was exciting for Tanya and her Mom regardless of our language barrier. The moon, Venus, Jupiter, double stars, the Owl Cluster and even the Great Orion Nebula all seemed so new and unique to my new guests at the eyepiece.
The next day I loaned Tanya “The Nightwatch” by their fellow Canadian, Terrance Dickenson. Aside from the text being in a foreign language to them, Tanya, her Mom and Dad visually devoured the pictures and maps in the book for the next two days. I then spent an hour or so showing them a few astronomy websites and made suggestions to help Tanya with her new found interest in Amateur Astronomy. I plan to do more “Sidewalk Astronomy” with them throughout their stay here at the park.
Introducing people to the wonders of the night sky is by far one of the most rewarding aspects of Amateur Astronomy. It’s all free for the taking. I hope Tanya will remember her first night at the eyepiece for the rest of her life.
Keep looking up,
Dave
