Sky at Night

[speedymama]

DH and I enjoy watching The Sky at Night with Patrick Moore. Our DTS (2yo 11months) can already recognise the planets and we are hoping that they will develop an interest in astronomy.

Any other amateur astronomists out there?

do they know the names of the different planets? That would be impressive! I'm not even sure how many planets are officially in our solar system, especially after the recategorisation!

tis nearly a full moon, i'm quite interested in the moon really

ooh geeky stuff!

Yes they know the name of the planets. Unfortunately, Pluto is no longer classified as a real planet and has been reclassified as a Dwarf Planet. That means we need to purchase a new poster which shows only 8 planets plus the three new dwarf planets, Pluto, Ceres and the largest dwarf, UB313, popularly known as Xena.

I am. I am a telescope junky. I do not understand why people sit in and watch Eastenders when there is so many wonderful things happening outside.

Me too, I love gazing at the stars. My DS is 20 months and knows the sun, moon and stars. We were both looking up at the night sky before Christmas and saw a shooting star. I told him to make a wish he and asked him what he wished for and he answered 'a dummy'

I love Patrick Moore. I also play xylophone (percussion in general). Does that officially make me a geek?

Get out there tonight - it's fab!

Its cloudy here

We had a full moon last night and lots of stars. My DTS kept saying, "look Mummy, the Moon, look Mummy, a star, look Mummy, another star!" when I was unloading them from the car last night. I felt really smug that they had noticed it and were busy surveying the night sky themselves without any prompting from me.

Its not been very good the past month. I don't think we have had a clear sky once.

Buy a Philip's Planisphere and a guide - great fun.

It was superb yesterday and not even full until tomorrow I think. It's great it's up and bright so early as well.

I know so little and want to know more.

I may be wrong, with this full moon we're meant to get a good view of Saturn next to it aren't we?

Looking at Saturn through the telescope is like looking at a very extra-special diamond ring!

ooh at your telescopic activities

My DD loves looking at Saturn through the telescope. Its at opposition on the 10th

Bought a telescope for the children at Christmas but haven't had a chance to use it yet Even on a clear night theres a lot of light pollution where I live.

If the weather is good you really should try planet spotting on the 10th. The kids will love it.

Maybe we'll go over to my mums then. She lives in a village by the sea so not much light pollution there. We go over there in the summer to watch the perseids.

We have a telescope and although ds (3) is interested, he hasnt quite mastered how to look through it properly yet.

Does anyone have a good wall chart/freeze type thing that shows planets etc..without too much detail? Im seen some but they are a bit too much iykwim.

Tesco has a range (not their own!) of wall charts and there is a planets one that DS now has up in his room. For a cool light try Ikea's Blimp light.