One thing about this sidewalk stuff is that it is very unpredictable especially on a Saturday night. You never know who you will meet or the reactions you will have when you do this sort of thing as you are catching folks off guard. But this night was a night of pleasant encounters. With this being a holiday weekend I was not sure what kind of crowd there would be at the Marina Park. What I found where curious and excited folks who came briskly walking or riding their bikes by to see what this was all about. Smiles and looks of excitement would follow the invitation to look and learn. I had a lot of fun encounters throughout my time out along with good science lessons. The Galvez family really ran with this Saturn thing. All three viewed moons, ring shadow, atmospheric banding and stayed glued to the scope in between other visitors. This was not the evening they expected as a simple walk turned into a adventure traversing across the Solar System!
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Marina Saturday Night Saturn View
One thing about this sidewalk stuff is that it is very unpredictable especially on a Saturday night. You never know who you will meet or the reactions you will have when you do this sort of thing as you are catching folks off guard. But this night was a night of pleasant encounters. With this being a holiday weekend I was not sure what kind of crowd there would be at the Marina Park. What I found where curious and excited folks who came briskly walking or riding their bikes by to see what this was all about. Smiles and looks of excitement would follow the invitation to look and learn. I had a lot of fun encounters throughout my time out along with good science lessons. The Galvez family really ran with this Saturn thing. All three viewed moons, ring shadow, atmospheric banding and stayed glued to the scope in between other visitors. This was not the evening they expected as a simple walk turned into a adventure traversing across the Solar System!
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6 comments:
We have marinas here. Why cant the SUGster come to NY and Build his "Observing Field of Dreams" in western NY. SUG, If you build your astronomy outreach here people will come.
SUG, people will come SUG. They'll come to Buffalo for reasons they can't even fathom. They'll turn up at our marinas not knowing for sure why they're doing it. They'll arrive at our marinas as innocent as children, longing for the dark skies.
Of course, "I won't mind if you look through the SUG's telescope", you'll say. "It's only $20 per person".
They'll pass over the money without even thinking about it: for it is money they have and peace, awe and fascination they lack. And they'll walk out to shoreline; sit in shirtsleeves on a perfect warm dark evening with perfect seeing conditions.
They'll find they have reserved seats somewhere along the Central Wharf at the Erie Canal Harbor, where they sat when they were children and dreamt of Sputnik or their Apollo heroes. And they'll view the celestial wonders you offer them and it'll be as if they dipped themselves in magic waters.
The memories will be so thick they'll have to brush them away from their faces. People will come SUG. The one constant through all the years, SUG, has been astronomy.
This astronomy, this hobby: it's a part of our past, SUG. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again.
Oh... people will come SUG. People will most definitely come.
Great job as always!
Hey this reminds me of a famous dialog in the movie "Field of Dreams". Any coincidence?
But you are right if we set them up (telescopes) they will come and look. So lets set them up!
It was a fun outing for a Saturday night and I have been weathered out since - no more pretty NV skies!
Too funny!!!
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