Shortly after I graduated from West Point, while still on graduation leave, I spent a week as a counselor at Sly Park at a Space Camp for high school students. It was my 3rd time at Sly Park--first as a student in 6th grade for a week, next as a 12th grade counselor for 6th graders for a week, and lastly at the Space Camp. Boys' cabins there are named after animals and girls cabins are named after trees. I stayed in Porcupine all three times, I am a firm believer in Pork Power.
One night at Space Camp several of the instructors brought out telescopes, and it was then, for the first time, I saw Saturn and its rings. What an amazing sight! Was I any less excited than Galileo when he first saw them? Absolutely beautiful.
That was in 1987.
A couple years ago I showed them to my son in his telescope, but he never developed the passion for looking in his telescope that I had as a kid looking in mine at the moon. His telescope just takes up space in his room.
A few nights ago I was out for a walk and wondered what that bright star, obviously a planet, was, so I broke out the phone and fired up Google Sky Map (I wish Star Walk was available for Android) and learned it was Saturn. Last night I took the telescope out and aimed it.
I don't think the excitement of seeing the rings of Saturn diminishes with repeated experience.
1 comment:
I use the "Distant Suns" ap (distantsuns.com)
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