Think you might be interested in a free, weekly summer stargazing club?
Here's some of the kinds of things we'll do:WHEN: Wednesday afternoons, 3-4 p.m. (beginning June 10) [We'll also have some evening sessions to view night sky objects.] WHERE: 918 N. 30th St., Waco, TX (my residence) If this sounds interesting, talk with your parents and see if it's OK for you to participate. If so, let me know so I can plan accordingly. Your parents are welcome to contact me to learn more about this -- 254-753-6920 (home), 254-723-6346 (cell), paulderrickwaco@aol.com. AGE LIMIT: Participants generally should be at least 10 years old and/or going into the 4th grade. (This age limit may be waived for younger children who are highly motivated and mature enough to participate.) PARENT PARTICIPATION: Parents are welcome to attend meetings -- once (to check things out) or regularly. If we are able to take field trips to the observatory and/or planetarium, I'll need some parental assistance!
- look through telescopes at planets, stars, star clusters, nebulae, galaxies and other neat things
- look at interesting astronomy slide shows, DVDs, and computer programs about things like the solar system, black holes, the life of stars, space travel, other life "out there," and more
- learn about the cosmos
- learn how telescopes work
- hear/learn some star stories and songs
- take a field trip to a real observatory (if we can swing it)
- take a field trip to a planetarium (if we can swing it)
Here's what we've done so far:
A typical session...
- Gather and see who's here
- Unison reading of our "Junior Stargazer's Declaration"
- Sharing from notebooks
- Quote/thought for the day
- Song
- Activity/program
- Snack while hearing a Birbal story
Session topics/programs/activities so far...
- June 10: "Solar System Model" slide show
- June 17: Yard solar system with the Sun the size of a BB
- June 24: "The Sun" slide show and outdoor safe solar viewing
- July 1: "Constellations with a Little Imagination" slide show
- July 8: "Extraterrestrials" slide show
- July 15: How binoculars and telescopes work
Tentative session topices/programs/activites to come...- July 22: Directions, Big Dipper and the North Star
- July 29: "The Drinking Gourd" slide show story
- Aug 5: "Comets, Meteors, and Impacts" slide show
- Aug 12: "Young Clyde Tombaugh" slide show story
- Aug 19: Astronomy vs. Astrology -- What's your sign? Does it matter?
- Aug 26: ???
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