Saturday 13 December 2008

Telescopes for schools



Finally, the Telescopes for Schools initiative for the International Year of Astronomy 2009 has defined how schools can apply for telescopes.

The Telescope itself is a 70 mm refractor with a focal length of 700 mm, and is produced by Phenix Optical Group of China. It is mounted on an AZ2 type altazimuth mount, and has a small finder telescope which you use to locate objects prior to observing them through the main instrument.

This looks like a nice piece of kit and is suitable for attaching cameras and webcams. It is also ideal for the upcoming MoonWatch weeks scheduled for next year.

I'm happy to say that David Boardman pulled himself out of his sick bed (where he has flu...not just man flu) and filled out the application forms on behalf of St Augustine's. Following is David's proposal (for those interested). Hopefully the school will be happy with this and just sign and send in the paperwork before the deadline of Dec 31st.

If the application is approved I feel it would be a great feather in our cap and hopefully appreciated by the school, and I'm sure plenty of members will be happy to show the kids how to get the most out of the telescope in class and at the dark site.

Thanks David!

IN UP TO 500 WORDS, DESCRIBE WHAT YOU AND YOUR CLASS WILL DO WITH THE TELESCOPE.

Background
The Redditch Astronomical Society (RAS) was established in late 2007 by a small group of professional people completing an Astronomy class. The club has grown rapidly with currently over 25 regular members. A RAS member developed links with St Augustine’s Catholic High School (ACHS) and recognised a desire for both organisations to support each other’s interests; namely, widening participation and outreach for the RAS to engage more young scientists and ACHS’s strategy for continuous improvement in applications for its Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) students. In September 2008 ACHS agreed to provide RAS with meeting facilities on a monthly basis and RAS agreed to provide free membership to ACHS pupils in addition to teaching 5 STEM related lessons a year. Furthermore, a qualified RAS member is delivering ACHS’s first Astronomy GCSE.

What project(s) will you do with the telescope?
The telescope will support many projects including by way of example:
Investigate and map by hand the moon’s surface (Mountain regions, lunar cycle, leading to lessons on gravity, tides, galaxy motions and eclipse’s;
Variable stars, binary stars, the Doppler Effect and understanding the expansion of the Universe

What parts of the curriculum will it support?

Key stage 3 science aims to link direct practical experience with scientific ideas. Experimentation is used to develop and evaluate explanations, encouraging critical and creative thought. Pupils will use the telescope to learn how knowledge and understanding in science are rooted in evidence. Using astronomy and space science will provide insight into the nature and observed motions of the sun, moon, stars, planets and other celestial bodies. For example, through studying the moon the concepts of gravity and celestial motion will be introduced and by studying specific stars and their colours, an understanding of elements and compounds and their characteristic chemical properties and patterns in their behaviour will be drawn out.

Key stage 4 science theories of the universe will be developed. The solar system is part of the universe, which has changed since its origin and continues to show long-term changes. The telescope will be used to look at variable stars and develop the concepts of binary stars leading to understanding the Doppler Effect and how we establish that the Universe is continuing to expand.

Additionally, the telescope will be used to form the basis of lessons in basic optics and the electromagnetic spectrum including radiations, and in particular ionizing radiations from the sun and the effect on communications and electronics and energy transfer / climate change.

How will it develop pupils’ skills?
The telescope will develop pupil skills by linking direct practical experience with scientific ideas. It will help them to open their minds to the potential to study the universe in their own time through the further support of the RAS where the sharing of telescopes would allow them to see other galaxies and the planets. By instilling a desire to learn it will help pupils in their broader academic studies.

Give the Universe for Christmas

Thanks to a request from a new prospective member, the Redditch Astronomical Society is going to start offering Gift Annual memberships.

If you have a friend, partner or family member with an interest in Astronomy then why not purchase a year's membership to the Redditch Astronomical Society as a gift. A gift membership will include an introduction to the society and its aims, along with a CD of software that we, as a society have found useful and recommend.

More importantly, membership gives the recipient the opportunity to share their interest with friendly, like minded, local individuals; an interest that as amateur astronomers we know is not always shared by those closest to us.


Contact membership@redditch-astro.org.uk for details, and we will do our best to get membership gift packs out in time for Christmas.

See Redditch Astronomical Society Membership page for details