Saturday, October 16, 2010

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.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I love that you're always teaching us! Wonderful for those kids that you showed a simplified version. bsk