(meteorobs) Student observations

[Robert Lunsford]

Terry,

Thanks for sharing your project and the student's experiences with us. It's good to hear that some of the material you find here to be of use to your project! We would love to hear more of what the students have to say about the night sky as you find time. I'm certain a majority of our readers would find it interesting to see their interpretation of what they see.

Robert Lunsford

---- Terry Johnson <tenacious at cyberback.com> wrote: 
> Thought I might share some recent experiences with the group.
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> I'm teaching high school astronomy for the first time at my school, which is
> something special since I believe at this moment my school is one of only
> two schools in the state of Arkansas to offer the class.  I have a standing
> weekly assignment to write a 15-min observation log.  These kids are brand
> new to astronomy, so I don't expect them to know what they're looking at.  I
> just want them to go outside and look up and tell me what they see.
> Essentially, by having them do this before they learn about the sky, I'm
> hoping to discover what each of them believes is important.  I'm finding
> their reports most fascinating!
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> After their first report was taken up, I handed out print-outs of a few of
> the reports here.  I LOVE reading the observation logs of George, Pierre,
> and especially Bruce McCurdy (to whom I've written at least twice to tell
> him so), and others.  Showing my students what you guys find memorable (like
> wildlife, mosquitoes, musical selections, etc.) should make them more
> comfortable with just writing about their evening.
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> Since I'm taking some of your reports for my students, I wanted to share of
> couple of their reports here.  My first reports were what you might expect,
> with kids trying to impress me by naming whatever planet or constellation
> they might already know, but there was one impressive standout.  I'm
> reprinting it here in full, with the young lady's permission.
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> Date: 8/22           Time 8:45 - 9:10
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> Moon Phase:  Not visible at this time.
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> Weather and sky conditions: Humid, clear sky
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> Location: Backyard
> 
> Description of observation location:  Houselights, lights from rodeo about
> 30 paces from my house, house behind me
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> Log Entry:
> 
> It took a while for my eyes to adjust to the darkness, but after they did,
> the sight was amazing!  I found two non-blinking objects (which I assume are
> planets) and a slow moving dot. (Maybe the ISS?) As I was following the slow
> moving dot, a bright dot fell towards Earth then blinked out of existence.
> It was kind of sad, yet magnificent.
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> .I found that short report to be just magical.  What a perfect description
> of what she saw in terms anyone could understand.  I simply loved it. [oh,
> and it *was* the ISS she saw that night.]
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> I also have an exchange student from Mexico City in the class.  He started
> with the statement, "I have never seen the nighttime sky outside the city."
> Then he filled both the front and back of the page with the things he saw!
> I honestly got a little emotional reading about the his first view of the
> heavens from a decently dark location.  He broke up his 30-min report into
> 10-minute sections because he started viewing as the sky was darkening and
> he was describing the view as the stars were appearing.  He ended with,
> "There are so many stars out now!!!  There even seem to be white clouds of
> stars, but I know that is just my eyes."
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> Oh, no, young man.  That is your heritage.  That is the feeling you are
> supposed to get when you look into the night.
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> In a few more weeks I'll join them in a star party where we'll tour the sky
> together.  I'm so excited!!!!
> 
> :o)
> 
> --Terry
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