We would be glad to try to visit any School or Club that wants us to.
The biggest problem is, as usual, the weather. However we also have
an indoor presentation put together that can be shown instead if the
weather will not co-operate or if a night time session is not possible.
For a night observing session we need a reasonably flat, dry, dark
area to set up the telescopes and an idea of how many (roughly) will
be expected to attend. Some adults to help organise the kids (and to
have a look themselves!) will also be necessary.
To contact us about setting up a "Show me the Stars!" session
for your School, class, club or group, go to the Contact
page and just send us your details and an evening or mobile contact
number. We will take it from there!
Night session at Kilmoyley National School - April 4th 2006
Following Kevin Lawlor's eclipse visit to Kilmoyley National school
we arranged a night observing session there. We had five telescopes
set up and about 60 students and parents in attendance.
The Moon, Saturn and Mars were about all we had time to show them as
each telescope had its own long queue,.
Pictures by Kevin Lawlor
We had 5 telescopes setup and Saturn was the "star" of the show with
its rings and the shadow of the planet on them easily visible along
with the Cassini division, four of its moons and a one of its cloud
bands.
The young Moon also got a good examination with the craters and mountains
of the southern hemisphere showing great detail.
Partial Eclipse at Kilmoyley National School - March 29th 2006
Kevin Lawlor went to Kilmoyley National School on the morning of the
eclipse and with the fortune of partially clear skies he set up his
ETX 70 with its solar filter and showed the slim partial eclipse to
each class and teacher in turn. By the time he had finished all 140
students and their teachers each got to see this rare event.
The next generation of astronomers queue for a look.
Tralee Boy's Brigade, February 2006
David Tough, a club member and scout leader with the "Boy's Brigade"
gave an introduction to astronomy to the boys and girls of the brigade
at one of their weekly meetings and the following week we brought some
scale models of the Earth and Moon to explain the phases of the Moon
and eclipses. There were so many varied questions from them that their
interest and knowledge was in no doubt.
Then with a clear sky and a slim crescent Moon visible outside we put
on our coats and set up the telescopes in the adjoining yard, but first
we showed them the brighter constellations and how to find the North
star. They then took turns at the telescopes to look at the mountains
and craters on the Moon.
Rose of Tralee, August 2005
The decision to do a small exhibition for the Rose of Tralee festival
was rewarded with a busy night with lots of interest and even a few
new members. Thanks to all that took an interest to come and have a
look. The skies were mostly cloudy but later it did clear and we got
to view the rising full moon.
Some pictures taken on the night :-
Paddy holds back the crowd while Trevor signs another autograph!
There was interest from all ages
A brace of LX200's, a 12" and an 8"
February 25th 2005
Tony Curran went to Dromclogh National School near Listowel to give
a talk and slide show to the 6th class there. The talk lasted for about
two hours and the questions just kept coming!
As a follow-up to the talk we took the opportunity of a forecast of
a clear sky to bring our telescopes to the school on the following Thursday
night. The night started with a bright fireball at about 19:40 in the
west, falling vertically from Cassiopeia towards the horizon. It was
slow, very bight and it broke up as it fell.
By eight we had about thirty students accompanied by some of their
parents and teachers. With the four telescopes and a large pair of tripod
mounted binoculars we showed them Saturn, the Orion nebula, the double
cluster in Perseus, the Milky Way, Andromeda galaxy, comet Machholz
and Alcor/Mizar.
We stayed until about 10:15 PM and as we packed up Jupiter just began
to rise. A thoroughly enjoyable night was had by all of us, and we think
the kids and parents enjoyed it too!
Day time talk at Gaelscoil Mhic Easmainn
By Tony Curran.
On the afternoon of Friday 26th March 2004 I went to Gaelscoil Mhic
Easmainn, in Rathonane, Tralee to talk to approx. 50 very eager 5th
class pupils. I was given a "Céad Míle Fáilte"
by their class teachers Liam Ó Conchubhair and Seán Ó
Dómhnaill. Normally lessons are taught through the medium of
Irish but an exception was made as we discussed the Solar System, using
various sizes of spheres to represent the various planets.
Their enthusiasm and their level of knowledge of the subject pleasantly
surprised me. Using a flash lamp and globe I explained how Solar Eclipses
and Lunar Eclipses occur and also the various phases of the moon and
how it affects the Tides. We also discussed the Lunar Surface and they
were very interested in the Moon Map and how the various craters occurred.
As it happens the ISS was passing over head that weekend and I gave
them the times it would be visible on the Saturday and Sunday and pleased
to hear afterwards that many of them saw it.
We began at 1.30p.m. and when the school bell rang at 2.40p.m. I felt
that we could have continued on longer. This was no observing session
because of school hours but the pupils expressed great interest in the
subject in general and would love to attend an observing session soon.
Outreach session at Noeval National School.
We held our first "Show me the Stars!" session on Wednesday
night the 25th of February 2004 for the pupils, parents and teachers
of Noeval National School in Cloontarriv, near Ballymacelligott just
east of Tralee.
Just some of the attendees at Noeval National School.
Being a small school and the weather forecast promising wintery showers
we were not expecting big numbers and arranged for just two of us to
bring our telescopes and binoculars.
However, when we found cars parked on the roadside well away from the
school we knew that we were in for a busy evening. In all about 70 parents,
teachers and pupils had braved the cold and were waiting for us in the
school and in the yard for the hail shower to blow over.
Soon the sky began to clear in patches and we set up the telescopes
and the binoculars on their tripods. With the moon in view an orderly
queue formed behind each eyepiece and everyone took their turn for a
look. The reactions varied from "That's just so cool!" to
"Oh my God, I can see rocks and mountains!" Best of all were
the youngest that just looked and looked in silence. (With the younger
pupils it can be difficult for them to position their eye in the correct
place to see anything. The best way we found to ensure that they are
seeing what they should, is to look for the projected light from the
object on their eye.)
As the night rolled on we showed them Venus, the Orion nebula, Saturn,
the Andromeda Galaxy, Jupiter, the Pleiades star cluster and various
bright stars. After about 3 hours it was past bed time for most and
just a handful remained. We were then free to try to answer some of
the questions posed to us. We will have to study our astronomy books
before going back to a school again! The questions and the knowledge
of astronomy of the students was a credit to their teachers.
Thanks to everyone for a most enjoyable night. We will be back! (with
more telescopes next time!)
