I got a flier from a "professional astronomer"

Seems this guy is a school teacher. During the school year he is
available on the weekends and holidays. He's also available all summer.
He will come to your property (I own a B&B) and bring his 10" f/6
Discovery telescope for a two hour tour of the night's sky. For this he
wants $80. If he has to travel 25-50 miles, he wants an extra $20. If it
is over 50 miles, it is by quote. We are about 40 miles away.
Sounds interesting enough.
I have three rooms that rent for as low as $70 in the off season, as
high as $105 in the peak season, and $85 for the times one would not
call peak nor off peak, as well as weekends in the off peak season. The
place is modest but comfortable. Our main focus is on fishing, swimming
and boating. In the winter we are near some cross country ski trails
that are snowmobile free. We have some lake frontage. We have a 12'
jonboat (no motor) available to our guests or they may bring their own
boat.
I'm not sure if our average guest would be interested. I'm not sure if I
could raise the rates $35 to cover this expense. Does it sound
expensive? If you planned on going to a B&B would you pay an extra $35
for this? Thanks.

user wrote in message
...
Seems this guy is a school teacher. During the school year he is
available on the weekends and holidays. He's also available all summer.
He will come to your property (I own a B&B) and bring his 10" f/6
Discovery telescope for a two hour tour of the night's sky. For this he
wants $80. If he has to travel 25-50 miles, he wants an extra $20. If it
is over 50 miles, it is by quote. We are about 40 miles away.
Sounds interesting enough.
I have three rooms that rent for as low as $70 in the off season, as
high as $105 in the peak season, and $85 for the times one would not
call peak nor off peak, as well as weekends in the off peak season. The
place is modest but comfortable. Our main focus is on fishing, swimming
and boating. In the winter we are near some cross country ski trails
that are snowmobile free. We have some lake frontage. We have a 12'
jonboat (no motor) available to our guests or they may bring their own
boat.
I'm not sure if our average guest would be interested. I'm not sure if I
could raise the rates $35 to cover this expense. Does it sound
expensive? If you planned on going to a B&B would you pay an extra $35
for this? Thanks.


Just a know nothing lurker here, but you might not be posting q? to the best
ng. Most here probably have there own scope/s, or are coveting same (saving
up?). Never been to a b&b, but if I did I would bring scopes and binos and
let you and any others look for free.

There must be dozens of guys who live in nearby cities (where are you
located) who would be more than happy to come to your B&B just to get away
from city lights...I know I would. It would nice, of course, if you offered
free B&B for the man's time. But you asked if it's worth paying this person
$40/hour plus travel expense. Normally yes, but this guy does not have
"crowd pleasing" equipment. I'm assuming that he has a Dob, and this type
of telescope does not have tracking. This is not to say that a Dob is not a
perfectly good instrument, but rather it's simply not very good for a crowd.
What is likely to happen time and time again is that the celestial object
that this person puts his telescope on would move out of FOV before the
guests get to the eyepiece.

By the way, there are several B&B's located in dark sky areas (Arizona, New
Mexico) that offer telescope rentals for their guests and do a booming
business (they also get plenty of money). Just go to Google and do a
search...you'll find them. Finally, tell us where you're located, offer
free B&B to anyone who has the right equipment and I'm certain you will be
surprised to find _many_ willing takers.

Al


"user" wrote in message
...
Seems this guy is a school teacher. During the school year he is
available on the weekends and holidays. He's also available all summer.
He will come to your property (I own a B&B) and bring his 10" f/6
Discovery telescope for a two hour tour of the night's sky. For this he
wants $80. If he has to travel 25-50 miles, he wants an extra $20. If it
is over 50 miles, it is by quote. We are about 40 miles away.
Sounds interesting enough.
I have three rooms that rent for as low as $70 in the off season, as
high as $105 in the peak season, and $85 for the times one would not
call peak nor off peak, as well as weekends in the off peak season. The
place is modest but comfortable. Our main focus is on fishing, swimming
and boating. In the winter we are near some cross country ski trails
that are snowmobile free. We have some lake frontage. We have a 12'
jonboat (no motor) available to our guests or they may bring their own
boat.
I'm not sure if our average guest would be interested. I'm not sure if I
could raise the rates $35 to cover this expense. Does it sound
expensive? If you planned on going to a B&B would you pay an extra $35
for this? Thanks.

"user" wrote in message
...

If you planned on going to a B&B would you pay an extra $35
for this? Thanks.


No. Most, if not all, astronomy clubs would be willing to do this for free.
Plus they would bring multiple scopes. My clubs are always looking for
opportunities for public outreach. For $35, I would expect to rent the
scope for my personal use for the evening.

Peace,
Jon

"user" wrote in message
...

I'm not sure if our average guest would be interested.

User--

others have already indicated that, because almost all participants on this
ng are scope owners, they may not be willing to spend any money to be shown
the night sky. however, a subtle but important point for you, the business
owner: my own experience is that the general public is fascinated by the
opportunity to look through a reasonable quality telescope with an
experienced guide at hand. if you have the fortune to live under dark skies
(can you see the milky way easily?), i'd strongly suggest that you consider
any opportunities to introduce your guests to the wonders of the heavens
above.

clear, dark skies--

mark d.

I think I'd look around the area and see if an am.astronomer lived near by who
could do a bit of "Sidewalk Astronomy" for you, I'd say you could offer a small
fee to them and they'd do it for you. Let them try it one weekend to see if
anything would come of it first.

If I was coming, I'd bring my own scope!


--
"In this universe the night was falling,the shadows were lengthening
towards an east that would not know another dawn.
But elsewhere the stars were still young and the light of morning
lingered: and along the path he once had followed, man would one day go
again."

Arthur C. Clarke, The City & The Stars

SIAR
www.starlords.org
Freelance Writers Shop
http://www.freelancewrittersshop.netfirms.com
Telescope Buyers FAQ
http://home.inreach.com/starlord
Ad World
http://adworld.netfirms.com

"user" wrote in message
...
Seems this guy is a school teacher. During the school year he is
available on the weekends and holidays. He's also available all summer.
He will come to your property (I own a B&B) and bring his 10" f/6
Discovery telescope for a two hour tour of the night's sky. For this he
wants $80. If he has to travel 25-50 miles, he wants an extra $20. If it
is over 50 miles, it is by quote. We are about 40 miles away.
Sounds interesting enough.
I have three rooms that rent for as low as $70 in the off season, as
high as $105 in the peak season, and $85 for the times one would not
call peak nor off peak, as well as weekends in the off peak season. The
place is modest but comfortable. Our main focus is on fishing, swimming
and boating. In the winter we are near some cross country ski trails
that are snowmobile free. We have some lake frontage. We have a 12'
jonboat (no motor) available to our guests or they may bring their own
boat.
I'm not sure if our average guest would be interested. I'm not sure if I
could raise the rates $35 to cover this expense. Does it sound
expensive? If you planned on going to a B&B would you pay an extra $35
for this? Thanks.



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Mark,
while the general public may be interested in looking at the heavens through
a scope, few would part with $35 for a 2hr shared session with at 10". Our
local observatory only charges $2 for a lecture and a look though a 36". As
was suggested, a call to a local astronomy club would get you more for less.

Peace,
Jon

"mark d. doiron" wrote in message
news:ZxSqb.2122$643.1942@okepread03...
"user" wrote in message
...

I'm not sure if our average guest would be interested.

User--

others have already indicated that, because almost all participants on
this
ng are scope owners, they may not be willing to spend any money to be
shown
the night sky. however, a subtle but important point for you, the
business
owner: my own experience is that the general public is fascinated by the
opportunity to look through a reasonable quality telescope with an
experienced guide at hand. if you have the fortune to live under dark
skies
(can you see the milky way easily?), i'd strongly suggest that you
consider
any opportunities to introduce your guests to the wonders of the heavens
above.

clear, dark skies--

mark d.

It's worth pursuing. I don't know how big the market is, but view it as
like a hunting/fishing guide or something -- it's another kind of outdoor
recreation.

Sounds like an interesting idea, but I'd tend to go the route of finding
an amatuer who likes to share the sky. Good chance you could find
someone who'd be happy to do it for much less or nothing. One thing,
the guy with the flier is probably a good speaker who can put together
an organized "program." A lot of us enthusiastic amateurs are less
than articulate. Being able to communicate this stuff well to a group
is a real skill.
Marty

In article , user
wrote:

SNIP_
I'm not sure if our average guest would be interested. I'm not sure if I
could raise the rates $35 to cover this expense. Does it sound
expensive? If you planned on going to a B&B would you pay an extra $35
for this? Thanks.


Many years ago, I did a similar thing for a resort in the Pennsylvania
Poconos that was a few hours from home. In my case, my wife and I got
two weeks vacation every summer in return for my running a class for
guests of the resort. My astronomy classes were just a small part of
the activities there, which included lessons in riding, tennis, etc.
Fees were built into the price of lodging.

We passed out planispheres, taught everyone the constellations, and
shared views of the planets and DSOs through an 8" cassegrain. It was
actually a lot of work, but I loved doing it, and the classes were
ALWAYS very well attended. The resort kept wanting me back each year,
but after about four years of this, I decided to move on to other
things.

The problem with asking an astronomy club to volunteer on a regular
basis is that after a while they will become undependable.

Starry Skies,
Rich