I'd have to say, it wouldn't be for everyone but, I've noticed that some of us have our own list of favorite 5-25 objects that we show over and over again. What I'd like is an opportunity for some ppl to share their favorite objects and give tips on what methods they personally use to locate it. On Jan 9, 2013 11:41 PM, "Tim Jones" <timj@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > I agree with Sam here. Especially since I already do this for most > visitors to our outreach and viewing events because they almost all ask > "that" question -"how do you know where to look?" > > To Eric, I agree that pointers and guidance are useful ( otherwise, Terri > would have no students), but we need to make sure that finding things is a > skill learned through doing, not listening to others and that skill takes > years to become good. > > Tim > > Sent from my iPad > > On Jan 9, 2013, at 8:15 PM, insanas@xxxxxxx wrote: > > We have so many cancelled star parties because of rain, clouds, wind, > etc.. I hate to set up a new star party just for this topic. I would be > happy to take one hour of a regular public star party to work with new pas > members who want to learn the night sky. I would show them star charts, > planispheres, messier handouts, telrad charts, setting cirlces, > constellations charts, sky and telescope planet charts, etc... Once the > newbies see how an object is found, they can try to find the next object > and I would help them if they get lost. Anyway, spending one hour at a > public star party saves setting up a whole separate star party. Take care, > Sam > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Eric Steinberg <eric@xxxxxxxxxx> > To: pasmembers <pasmembers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Sent: Wed, Jan 9, 2013 5:43 pm > Subject: [pasmembers] Re: Night Sky Training Event - Your input is > requested > > Tim, your point is well taken - you can only learn it ultimately by > doing it. Yet I think there is some validity to the idea. Though it > comes naturally to some of us, others have some difficulty making > overall sense of the sky even with a planisphere, and may not even know > where to start. > > Eventually, those with an interest will have to do exactly what you say, > but we can help with some basic explanations, like how to use the > planisphere, the idea of star-hopping or things like the precession of > the stars and the celestial equatorial/polar concept. That along with > some hands-on demos might get people kick-started to do their own > learning. > > JM2C > Eric > > -----Original Message----- > From: pasmembers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > [mailto:pasmembers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <pasmembers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?>] > On Behalf Of Tim Jones > Sent: Wednesday, January 09, 2013 3:03 PM > To: pasmembers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > Subject: [pasmembers] Re: Night Sky Training Event - Your input is > requested > > While I appreciate the intent behind this, the only way to learn the > night sky is to get out under it and look up. A session here or there > really is not going to help. > > Imagine one of your music students that you only see 2-3 times a year > because their schedule doesn't allow them to practice the instrument > more often. Just how quickly do you think they would learn to master > the instrument? Learning the night sky is very much like learning to > play an instrument. While a bit of guidance will help keep the student > on the proper track, it only practicing regularly that results in the > student learning to play the instrument. > > My recommendation for learning the sky - get a Planisphere (either an > app or a real one) and spend evenings looking at the sky and learning > the lay of the land (so to speak). You don't even need a telescope for > that. > > Tim > > > > > > > >