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According to experts, when learning is interactive & fun, children are much more inclined to retain knowledge & look forward to school.

One topic that continues to fascinate children from generation to generation is the solar system. Whether it is studying the stars, watching for a lunar eclipse or making a model of the planets for science class, young minds are often drawn to the wonders of the Milky Way. Plus, images sent back by the Hubble telescope & various space probes have given the current crop of kids an even greater appreciation of the cosmos.

One way to foster children’s interest in the solar system is through toys, books & even Web sites that are appropriate for their age. One example is www.nine planets.org, which gives an over view of the history, mythology & current scientific knowledge of the planets, moons & other objects in our solar system. Another is http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets, which shows a collection of many of the best images from NASA’s planetary exploration program.

For lots more hands-on fun, there’s a line of preschool-appropriate action figures from Fisher-Price called Planet Heroes. Each of the figures represents a planet & has a special talent or skill related to the key features of her or his planet. By example, Earth “Ace” is a brave boy genius who joins his friends in solar space with the help of his skateboard. “Digger,” from Mars, the rocky planet, is built to blast & comes with a spinning drill. “Gustus,” from Jupiter, spins 360 degrees when you press a button.

Each of the toys comes with special tools and/or vehicles to help in her or his adventures-even Pluto Shiver, who is working extra hard to pull his weight on the team to overcome his new classification of “dwarf planet.” Of course, the plot would not actually be complete without the sinister forces of the villainous Black Hole “Professor Darkness,” who has vowed to destroy the solar system & thwart the heroic deeds of the other planets. The figures each come with a collectible trading card with cool planet facts, and a special DVD introducing the characters & launching them into their first mission.

If your children want to read up on the planets & the solar system, there’re a number of great books available, including “Stargazing with Jack Horkheimer: Cosmic Comics for the Sky Watcher” & “The Planets in Our Solar System” by Franklyn M. Branley. Take the time to look at the pictures with your kids & talk about what it might be like to be an astronaut & visit these places.

By: Wendy Mitchell

To learn more about the Planet Heroes line of educational toys & view the movie trailer, visit www.fisher-price.com.

A new line of planetary heroes can assist youngsters learn about the solar system.

Wendy Mitchell

Houston, Texas, is probably most famous for its featured role in space travel movies as NASAs Mission Control Center is based here inside the Johnson Space Center. However, there’re hundreds more reasons to book your airfare to Houston, the 4th largest city in the United States. Come get a taste of southern rodeo, Americas gulf coast, some Spanish history, & one of the most medically & technologically advanced cities in the country.

Houston: Mecca for Science & Technology

One of the most visited places in Houston is Clear Lake, the site of NASAs Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. Space Center Houston is open to tourists, offering educational exhibits & hands-on displays highlighting Mission Controls long history of success & tragedy. Do not miss out on the tram tour through the actual Johnson Space Center facility. Clear Lake is also a popular recreation retreat for the city, positioned on a bay just off the coast of the Gulf, offering a variety of outdoor activities.

The Texas Medical Center is located near downtown Houston & happens to be the worlds largest medical district, servicing over five million patient appointments annually. The campus grounds feel like a city within a city, hosting residential towers for employees & all the necessities of daily life. Notably, the Medical Center gives the largest proton therapy clinic for cancer treatment & the Cancer Prevention Center, established by the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Houstons Hotbed of Style, Sophistication & Soul

Houston is one of the most international cities in the United States, attracting tours of Broadway productions, major art exhibits, and consistently a stop on each major musicians tours. Houstons Theater District offers more theater space per capita than most major cities & even has permanent professional opera & ballet companies (only five other cities in the United States can make such a claim). The Museum District gives a centralized neighborhood for all of Houstons major museums, including the Houston Zoo & the Museum of Health & Medical Science.

Houston is also a vibrant center for alternative art & culture. The streets of the city are filled with incredible motorized creations resembling spaceships, fantasy creatures & other extraordinary structures once a year during the Art Car Parade. Also, travel to Houston during the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo to catch the largest & longest running event of its kind. Major artists perform in concert & there’re many arts & crafts vendors & activities for the entire family.

Secure your airfare to Houston now & enjoy the most modern & dynamic city in Texas, and possibly the entire country. The major shipping Port of Houston adds incredible diversity to the massive metropolis as the sixth-largest port in the world. Experience the down south flavor of a Texas town against the backdrop of the major multiculturalism of a bustling urban center.

For lots more information on Houston & cheap airfare & flight tickets, go to http://www.cfares.com

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Frank Johnson

NASAs Johnson Space Center Houston recently hosted a two-day BP Physics Challenge for 886 Houston schools students, mostly juniors & seniors, with 800 more students expected to attend. The math & science students either made their own rockets that would be launched outside at the Space Center or conducted other experiments inside.

For all those Houston schools students, who made their own rockets, they got the full astronaut experience as most rocket launchings were scrubbed due to inclement weather. Unfortunately, the weather rapidly turned cold & drizzly, canceling the launch of most rockets.

Two Houston schools freshmen, how ever, did get their rockets launched with different results. Joshua Hawkins, from Booker T. Washington High School, had a successful launch & was thrilled to see how high his rocket soared. His friend, Keeland Bryant, had a foot-long rocket made of plastic & cardboard. It unfortunately burned during the launch good thing no astronauts were aboard.

While the rocket launches were either launching or getting scrubbed outdoors, other students were conducting a metal ball drop experiment in order to measure the mass of the Earth. The experiment was chosen to allow the Houston schools students to work with straight-line graphs & become more familiar with Isaac Newtons universal law of gravity, as well as learn many mathematical calculations taught by employees from NASA, BP America, Boeing & the United Space Alliance, who volunteered as mentors for the two-day experience. The Houston schools students were amazed to learn how math & science can be applied to their everyday lives.

As exciting as the two-day challenge was, the height of excitement came during a tour of the Space Center for the Houston schools students. Bill Nye, known as the science guy, was on hand to meet the students, many of which he hopes to see pursue a career in science, math or engineering. Nye hosted an educational program on PBS from 1992 to 1998 & is an icon to many science & math students even today. He was instrumental in the creation of the popular CBS NUMB3RS television series, where a math genius/professor uses mathematical models to assist the FBI in solving crimes. For years, Nye pitched ideas to television executives for programs that would give todays children the incentive to enter science & math careers, connecting the dots between these fields & the real world. At age 51, he still annually applies to NASA for entry into its astronaut program.

At the Space Center, Nye encouraged the Houston schools students to change the world, telling them people of all ages like science. They should learn it, because it’s fun!

The two-day event was designed to interest students in the fields of math & science. And so… Students from across the Houston schools district participated.

Patricia Hawke is a staff writer for Schools K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public & private K-12 schools. For more information on Houston schools visit http://www.schoolsk-12.com/texas/houston/index.html

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Stacy Andell

For many generations various human cultures have had great knowledge about the star constellations. However, these days most of the so-called modernized breed of human cant tell you much about whats around us in the infinite Universe. The funny thing is, technically we now know more about whats there than ever before, weve even got photos. Right. With the Hubble Telescope we now have access to the most unbelievable pictures imaginable: galaxies, nebulae & millions of stars close up. You dont need to buy a book or DVD to see this stuff, just sit down at your computer & let the Internet take you on a galactic journey.

A lot of the images can be accessed for free just by finding the right sites. At http://wires.news.com.au/special/mm/030811-hubble.htm#panup2 you can watch a stream of beautiful visuals that are literally out of this world. The beauty of the photos, the fact that they’re moving, & the musical accompaniment makes the whole trip quite ethereal. The other great aspect is the information the scientists have uncovered, mind-blowing ideas like the fact that some stars are sixty times brighter than our own sun, or the idea that there’re thousands of stars in one tiny spot in the sky. The concept that galaxies are 150 million light years away-do you know how fast light travels?

For the average human who spends their existence in one place working hard everyday to make ends meet, life can become somewhat monotonous & insulated. You forget that theres a whole world out there. The Universe however might be a random thought that only appears once in a month. The stars seem so disconnected to our everyday reality, but the fact is that we’re part of a much bigger picture-the biggest picture of all, infinite space. Maybe if we did focus a bit more outside the box of our familiar routines we could grasp on to the magic & perfection that surrounds us all the time, the real neighborhood that we belong to.

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=16616

http://www.spaceweather.com/

http://www.sec.noaa.gov/

These are a few more sites I discovered that give us more insight or outsight into what’s going on around us. Again I find the Internet has become my medium for accessing knowledge about life. And so… So far so good. Without leaving the office or my house I can travel to the most beautiful places, real places, were not talking Star Trek here people! Ive seen many magical things in my life thus far: snow capped mountains, rainbows over waterfalls, sunsets on tropical beaches. Clear? Ive seen art, heard music, watched films; Ive lived a very fortunate life indeed. But, to see these pictures & to learn about the incredible worlds outside our ownon a computer at homeit has taken me to a new level of understanding, new level of reverence for what it’s we’re part of. The only way to describe these galaxies, stars, and giant gas clouds close up is to speak the word magic. You’ll never see real paintings like this, beauty that stretches for millions of miles.

My computer screen has become a looking glass portal.

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M6.net

If your youngster is showing interest in stargazing & astronomy, a kids telescope can get them started with their new hobby without a large investment. Realize that a kids telescope isn’t a toy, but a fully functioning beginner telescope without all the advanced features.

Giving your youngster a kids telescope will let them know that you support their interest in astronomy & see it as a worthwhile endeavor. A real telescope, even without all the features, can give your child or grandchild a head start in learning about the universe & star systems.

Investing in a Kids Telescope

While you can purchase a child telescope for under $25, these are really more of a toy than a functioning astronomy telescope. A real basic beginner telescope can be purchased for around $100 & can provide the young astronomer with a gateway to the heavens. If you wish to invest a little more, a good starter telescope with some of the more advanced features, will cost anywhere from $200 to $300. This will provide your youngster with a quality piece of stargazing equipment.

As the childs interest grows, an investment in a more sophisticated telescope model might be appropriate. For instance, many young astronomers enjoy having the capability to photograph certain star formations or passing comets.

Tips for Buying the Right Child Telescope

Many astronomers & educators recommend a telescope with a longer focal length & separate viewer. This allows the child to find objects much easier & reduces the frustration that can result for the novice astronomer.

There’re many cheaper models that offer a focal length of only 30mm or 50mm & will provide a more generalized view of the night sky. However, if you want a telescope that will provide a more detailed picture of the planets, moon & constellations, a 70mm or higher focal length is strongly recommended.

Kids telescopes are available from a number of top-rate optics companies like Meade, Celestron, Bushnell, Orion & many others. Even the Discovery Channel offers an affordable 70mm lens kids telescope with easy set-up & easy-to-use features.

Meade gives some of the best telescopes on the market today & caters to the amateur astronomer from beginner to expert levels. By example, a 1000mm focal length telescope with photographic capabilities can be purchased for about $150. This is an excellent choice for the new astronomer because it gives a very good view of the heavens & shows details of the planets & moon that are generally not found with a telescope in this price range. An added bonus is that a 35mm camera can be attached to this telescope that allows your child to preserve those special night sky views on film.

How to Use a Kids Telescope

Reading the instructions for your childs new telescope cant be stressed enough. Even the basic kids telescopes can be confusing to use the first few times. It’s advisable for the parent to read through the instruction manual & help the child astronomer learn the basics of the telescopes operating features.

A great way to enhance your childs interest in astronomy is to view the night skies together. There is no better way to bond with your child than by enjoying the same hobbies & actively pursuing them together.

A kids telescope can open up a whole new exciting world to your youngster. It can broaden their understanding of the universe & allow them to be a part of the cosmos beyond just this planet. Why not invest in your child by getting them a kids telescope for fun, education, & a true bonding experience.

Learn more about selecting a kids telescope by visiting http://www.a1-telescopes.com/child-telescope-tips/a-child-telescope-for-your-young-astonomer-12/ & do not forget to visit http://www.a1-telescopes.com where you’ll find more tips on purchasing a beginner telescope for your young astronomer.

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Bill Wilson

I caught the astronomy bug at an early age. It was right after my dinosaur-obsession & right before my car-obsession. Unfortunately, my interest in astronomy ended as abruptly as it began & on a very sour note. It took almost thirty years for me to decide to take it up again, & when I myself did it was hard to imagine waiting so long. Upon reflection, I realized I didnt just stop; I stopped out of anger & frustration. My mother confirmed this recalling that when I was about 8 years old, my father & I went out with my little telescope for the first time. A ½ hour later when we came back in I wanted nothing more to do with it & wouldnt even talk about it! Its very easy to get a child interested in astronomy but its even easier for them to get frustrated & quit. Ive come up with four suggestions that I feel may help you avoid the pitfalls I experienced & inspire your future scientist to take up the amazing hobby of astronomy & enjoy it for a lifetime!

First, you dont need a telescope for an astronomy hobby. You heard that right! The very best way to start out is by learning about what youre looking at. And you dont need any equipment to do it… Get a book on constellations, sit down with your future astronomer (during the day), & start with the constellations that are visible for that time of year. Learn to identify the patterns, associate them with their names, and read the stories behind the historical characters they’re named after. Kids have amazing memories & are fantastic at learning patterns & associating the names with them. Perfect for constellations! Check out science kits, science toys, and Janice VanCleave science experiment books, they are a great way to get started. After your child has become familiar with & can identify some of the constellations in the book, wait for a dark clear night, lie out on a blanket, and identify as many as you can. It will be so much fun you’ll count the days until the next time you go stargazing!

Now lets talk about what you can & can not see. The moon is amazing to look at through either binoculars or a telescope, but its bright so make certain you have a moon filter so you dont hurt your eyes! A moon filter is like wearing sunglasses, it reduces the amount of light entering your eye(s). And dont observe the moon when its full, its too washed out. OK. Shadows bring out details in craters & other landscape features. Meteor showers are fun & there’re schedules that will tell you when & where to look for them. Constellations are easy to see with the naked eye, but attempt to go out during a new moon (also called a dark moon) or close to it… The brighter the moon the harder it’s to see celestial objects. Right. With binoculars you’ll be easily able to see many open clusters & globular clusters, quite beautiful! With a low powered telescope youll be easily able to see both types of clusters, some double stars, and a few nebulae. You may also get to see Jupiter & Saturn. The only galaxy you should expect to see is Andromeda (M31), the closest large galaxy to the Milky Way. Unless you live under very dark skies & have a big telescope, galaxies are just too faint & too far away to see. Even Andromeda will look like a faint fuzzy in most parts of the country.

This leads right into my second postulate. Objects seen through a telescope rarely look like the clear, colorful, large photos you see. The human eye is unable to see the color that can be picked up by a camera. Therefore, a nebula that shows up in photos with wonderful reds & purples, and sticks out in sharp contrast to neighboring stars will look gray, faint, and ghostly through your telescope. And thats if you can see it at all. Jupiter will show some color, but the image will be very small in your eyepiece & making out details will be difficult… Im not saying the objects you see will be disappointing, quite the contrary. But if expectations are set too high for a child, the let-down can be damaging. Learning about the objects first will make them much more interesting to observe.

Lets take the following example: Imagine looking at a globular cluster (personally, my favorite object in the sky). Looks pretty amazing through your telescope, believe me. But look at it again knowing its M-13 or Messier 13, the Hercules Cluster, the best globular cluster north of the celestial equator. This is a naked eye object under very dark skies with 500,000 stars extending 150 light years across & a distance of 26,000 light years from Earth. Discovered by Edmond Halley (of Halleys Comet) in 1714. While Messier never saw its individual stars, even a small telescope brings out the details in this magnificent mass of stars. This globular cluster is about 14 billion years old! Three dark rifts radiate outward from near the center, like a dark propeller. M-13 is located in the constellation Hercules, son of Zeus, the hero who was made to perform twelve great tasks to cleanse himself after he went temporarily insane, killing his wife & children. Even if your child cant grasp all the concepts, do you see how the constellation & the objects now have life?

Third, (as Ive previously mentioned) you need to manage a childs expectations. Clear? If they expect to see a big, bright, colorful object, and they end up having to struggle to see a bland, blurry one that takes you a long time to find, they will get frustrated & lose interest. Kids have big imaginations as we can see by the cartoons they watch. Their world is big, loud, & colorful & their attention span is short. It also depends on what age your child is. The Janice VanCleave science experiment books are for kids 8 years & older, & thats probably a good age to start them with a telescope. They may be interested in constellations at an earlier age but when it comes time to look at things through the telescope its a little tougher. Astronomy can be a slow & deliberate hobby, with beauty in the very subtle details of the objects. As a parent you need to decide when to start your child in this fantastic hobby. If they have become interested, teach them as much as they can soak up!

And fourth, when you’re ready to buy a telescope, dont buy a cheap piece of junk! Now let me tell you how I really feel.  You dont need to spend a lot of money, but purchasing an inferior scope is a recipe for disaster. Walking through department stores youll notice the no-name brand telescopes being sold that advertise 400x power (sounds good, right?) & show beautiful large color pictures of heavenly objects on the box. As weve discussed, you wont be seeing those objects on the box the way they’re shown, but its a nice marketing tool. Cheap telescopes dont focus well & 400 power just blurs images. A low power scope with quality optics is the best way to go, & they’re inexpensive. A great source on the web is Science Store for the Stars for telescopes & Janice VanCleave science books.

Years after I put my telescope into storage, I got it out again & took it apart to see what was inside. The primary mirror was basically a piece of tin foil that reflected the little bit of light it could muster onto a small mirror that looked just like the hand mirror a dentist puts into your mouth. It was a complete piece of junk! It never focused or showed anything in detail. Even the moon was blurry. No wonder I angrily quit the hobby! Of course there was no way for my parents to know, & how would you?

Very briefly lets talk about telescopes. The purpose of a telescope is to first, capture light with the primary mirror or refracting lens(s), & second, to focus it (with an eyepiece) into a clear & sharp image. The eyepieces are what give you different powers (also called magnifications). One lesson I learned rather rapidly was that you dont need an expensive, large, and powerful scope to see some of the best objects in the sky. But you do need a quality telescope. There are many different designs of telescopes, but there’re really only 2 types; refractors & reflectors. Refractor telescopes use lenses like binoculars to refract or bend the light coming in. Reflectors, on the other hand, use a primary mirror which reflects light to a smaller secondary mirror, then through an eyepiece (a lens) before it gets to your eye. There are many different kinds of reflectors including the Dobsonian, SCT or Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope, Maksutov-Cassegrain, Newtonian reflectors, Ritchey-Chretien, & others. Right. We wont get into the specifics of these, but the different types of reflectors all basically work the same way; by reflecting light.

If you start by learning about the constellations & other celestial objects & manage your childs expectations, they will appreciate what they see. And so… So far so good. When it comes time to buy a telescope, do your research! There’re plenty of inexpensive telescopes with quality optics out there. Try Science Store for the Stars for great starter scopes by Smithsonian & Educational Insights. Both are affordable with high quality optics. They also have Janice VanCleave science books on astronomy & constellations. Clear? If you follow these guidelines, you & your young astronomer will enjoy the hobby of astronomy for a lifetime!

Copyright Thomas J Ryan - Science Store for the Stars 2007

By: BamaCat

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