Astronomy Day

Today was Astronomy Day at the Vanderbilt Planetarium and our club was there for the activities. We set up special telescopes for looking at the sun and I brought one of my home made telescopes. I also brought a demonstration model of a telescope I built to show children. It consists of a big magnifying glass lens, and a telescope eyepiece, in a wood frame. I like it because some people wonder just what is "inside" a telescope to allow it to magnify. The answer is "nothing." There is a lens in the front and an eyepiece in the back. So kids are amazed that this is actually a telescope that works, and they are fascinated to look through it. But they are always surprised about one thing - whatever you see through the telescope is upside down! That happens with all telescopes, unless you add a prism to turn things back upright.