Nice moment in Sidewalk Astronomy

I do Sidewalk Astronomy on the Saturdays closest to 1st quarter moon. (It's
actually part of my job.) As all of you that do this know, there are many
fun reactions from children and adults when they look through your scope.

A particularly nice moment happened this week when the not too elderly
matriarch of a small clan stayed back while everybody else looked at the
moon. When we encouraged her to see too she said, "Thanks anyway, but I'm
legally blind."

I didn't pry into her particular ailment, but I noticed that she didn't need
a cane to navigate. I said, "Give it a try anyway. You might be surprised."

It took a bit for her to get her eye lined up at the eyepiece. When she did
get set she was able to see the craters. She was quite pleasantly surprised.

Clear Skies,
Craig in Tampa

That's a nice story, Craig. I was interested when you said that sidewalk
astronomy is part of your job. Would you care to tell us more? By the way,
I spent an evening not too long ago with my cousin who was visiting from
South America. The first object I showed him was Saturn (he had never viewed
before)...and he just couldn't get over it. He had a rather unusual
reaction. He walked in front of the telescope, then back to the eyepiece
for another look, then asked, "Is that a picture you have in there?"

Al


"Craig MacDougal" wrote in message
. com...
I do Sidewalk Astronomy on the Saturdays closest to 1st quarter moon.
(It's
actually part of my job.) As all of you that do this know, there are many
fun reactions from children and adults when they look through your scope.

A particularly nice moment happened this week when the not too elderly
matriarch of a small clan stayed back while everybody else looked at the
moon. When we encouraged her to see too she said, "Thanks anyway, but I'm
legally blind."

I didn't pry into her particular ailment, but I noticed that she didn't
need
a cane to navigate. I said, "Give it a try anyway. You might be
surprised."

It took a bit for her to get her eye lined up at the eyepiece. When she
did
get set she was able to see the craters. She was quite pleasantly
surprised.

Clear Skies,
Craig in Tampa

"Al" wrote in message
.. .
That's a nice story, Craig. I was interested when you said that sidewalk
astronomy is part of your job. Would you care to tell us more?

I run the local planetarium. (I'll put the "work sig" at the bottom.) We
have an astronomy club that meets at the planetarium and helps me with the
"SkyWatch" as we call it. I'm out there on the Saturday near 1st quarter.
(If it's a bit cloudy, the moon will usually still show through.) On the
following 2 Saturdays, the club runs SkyWatch on their own. Then on the New
Moon weekend there's no SkyWatch so club members can head out to dark sites
without feeling guilty. We catch people coming and going from our IMAX Dome
theater. We also have some families that come out several times a year just
to see what we're showing.

Besides that and planetarium shows, we can also be hired out to take the
scopes to schools (for example). We have one of those this week.

The first object I showed him was Saturn (he had never viewed
before)...and he just couldn't get over it. He had a rather unusual
reaction. He walked in front of the telescope, then back to the eyepiece
for another look, then asked, "Is that a picture you have in there?"

We get that on a regular basis. No other object generates that response with
such consistency. :-)

Clear Skies,
Craig in Tampa

Craig MacDougal
Planetarium Coordinator
MOSI (Museum of Science & Industry)
4801 East Fowler Avenue
Tampa, Florida 33617

email:
office: 813-987-6339
fax: 813-987-6364
web: www.mosi.org

Thanks, Craig. You will live a long and happy life! You're doing something
I know you love to do...and they pay you for it. What a set up! I'm sure
you don't have the problem of justifying the expense of new astronomy toys
to your wife...after all, these are your tools. Some guys have all the
luck!

Al


"Craig MacDougal" wrote in message
m...
"Al" wrote in message
.. .
That's a nice story, Craig. I was interested when you said that
sidewalk
astronomy is part of your job. Would you care to tell us more?

I run the local planetarium. (I'll put the "work sig" at the bottom.) We
have an astronomy club that meets at the planetarium and helps me with the
"SkyWatch" as we call it. I'm out there on the Saturday near 1st quarter.
(If it's a bit cloudy, the moon will usually still show through.) On the
following 2 Saturdays, the club runs SkyWatch on their own. Then on the
New
Moon weekend there's no SkyWatch so club members can head out to dark
sites
without feeling guilty. We catch people coming and going from our IMAX
Dome
theater. We also have some families that come out several times a year
just
to see what we're showing.

Besides that and planetarium shows, we can also be hired out to take the
scopes to schools (for example). We have one of those this week.

The first object I showed him was Saturn (he had never viewed
before)...and he just couldn't get over it. He had a rather unusual
reaction. He walked in front of the telescope, then back to the
eyepiece
for another look, then asked, "Is that a picture you have in there?"

We get that on a regular basis. No other object generates that response
with
such consistency. :-)

Clear Skies,
Craig in Tampa

Craig MacDougal
Planetarium Coordinator
MOSI (Museum of Science & Industry)
4801 East Fowler Avenue
Tampa, Florida 33617

email:
office: 813-987-6339
fax: 813-987-6364
web: www.mosi.org

"Al" wrote in message
...
I'm sure
you don't have the problem of justifying the expense of new astronomy toys
to your wife...after all, these are your tools. Some guys have all the
luck!

Hehe! The ironic thing is that I'm quite happy with what I have..... a 6"
f/10 Newt on a GEM with clock drive. My main personal interest is Jupiter,
and it does very well on old Jove. I've had pretty much the same setup since
1986. Oh and I'm also quite happy with the wife too. :-) Got married in '81.

I have more money invested in equipment from my first career. As I type,
within arm's reach are 3 saxophones...alto, tenor, low A baritone; a
clarinet; 2 flutes (one belongs to my wife); and a studio size piano (my
wife's career).

After 10 years of making my living as a musician and music teacher with
astronomy as a hobby, I switched which is the job and which is the hobby.
Been doing my "second career" for 12 years now. No complaints here.

Clear Skies,
Craig in Tampa

Hi Craig,

My sister lives just outside of Tampa and I fly down 2 or 3 times a year to
see her. If you give me the name of the planetarium, I'll try to stop in
one day and say hello...of course, I'll telephone first.

Al


"Craig MacDougal" wrote in message
. com...
"Al" wrote in message
...
I'm sure
you don't have the problem of justifying the expense of new astronomy
toys
to your wife...after all, these are your tools. Some guys have all the
luck!

Hehe! The ironic thing is that I'm quite happy with what I have..... a 6"
f/10 Newt on a GEM with clock drive. My main personal interest is Jupiter,
and it does very well on old Jove. I've had pretty much the same setup
since
1986. Oh and I'm also quite happy with the wife too. :-) Got married in
'81.

I have more money invested in equipment from my first career. As I type,
within arm's reach are 3 saxophones...alto, tenor, low A baritone; a
clarinet; 2 flutes (one belongs to my wife); and a studio size piano (my
wife's career).

After 10 years of making my living as a musician and music teacher with
astronomy as a hobby, I switched which is the job and which is the hobby.
Been doing my "second career" for 12 years now. No complaints here.

Clear Skies,
Craig in Tampa

Hay, I tried to learn to play a sax in high school ( John Marshall High in
L.A. ) but the only one they had was the baritone which was 3/4th as big as me
then and it had pads missing and was so full of dents I don't think it ever made
a true note. They gave me a passing D just for lugging it back and forth and
even tring to get a few notes out of it. I could only afford 1 reed the whole
time I had it too.



--
"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
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"Craig MacDougal" wrote in message
. com...
"Al" wrote in message
...
I'm sure
you don't have the problem of justifying the expense of new astronomy toys
to your wife...after all, these are your tools. Some guys have all the
luck!

Hehe! The ironic thing is that I'm quite happy with what I have..... a 6"
f/10 Newt on a GEM with clock drive. My main personal interest is Jupiter,
and it does very well on old Jove. I've had pretty much the same setup since
1986. Oh and I'm also quite happy with the wife too. :-) Got married in '81.




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"Al" wrote in message
...
My sister lives just outside of Tampa and I fly down 2 or 3 times a year
to
see her. If you give me the name of the planetarium, I'll try to stop in
one day and say hello...of course, I'll telephone first.

I live just north the city limits, but south of Lutz. I'll put the work sig
at the bottom with all the contact info. The phone number is direct to my
desk. We're across the street from the USF (When I first came to Tampa one
of the signs on the highway abbreviated it "U of So Fla".)

Craig MacDougal
Planetarium Coordinator
MOSI (Museum of Science & Industry)
4801 East Fowler Avenue
Tampa, Florida 33617

email:
office: 813-987-6339
fax: 813-987-6364
web: www.mosi.org

"Starlord" wrote in message
...
Hay, I tried to learn to play a sax in high school ( John Marshall High in
L.A. ) but the only one they had was the baritone which was 3/4th as big
as me
then and it had pads missing and was so full of dents I don't think it
ever made
a true note. They gave me a passing D just for lugging it back and forth
and
even tring to get a few notes out of it.

Ah yes, there are few things in life less miserable than playing a badly
maintained school-owned bari. That was the major investment at the beginning
of my music career. It was a good investment too. Once it was known that I
had the horn and could really play it, I recouped the cost in one season.

Better stop.... I've strayed off topic. gasp!

Craig in Tampa