Hello from a beginner

Lily · Post by **Lily** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 3:44 pm

Hello All,

Recently my children (aged 3.5 and 7) asked me a lot of questions about star, asteroid and how it hit the earch and why it killed dinasours etc. There are many questions that I could not answer coz I know very little about astronomy. I am really glad to have found this forum.

So I will read up lecture notes recommended by this forum so that I have something to tell my curious children.

One question, is the star party suitable for children? For some reason my son calls himself Jupiter and my daughter Saturn in their imaginative play :? .

Regards,
Lily

kayheem · Post by **kayheem** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 4:06 pm

Welcome to Singastro, Lily!

Yes, star parties are usually suitable for kids, except when it is held in more far-flung places e.g. Pulau Ubin, Mersing etc where creature comforts are not available.

I brought my kids to an overnight star-party once at mersing (with simple resort accommodations) some 5-6 years ago when they were about 4 and 6 yrs old and they enjoyed the meteors and milky way.

BTW, you should call your son 'Mars' and your daughter 'Venus'!

Kay Heem

Lily · Post by **Lily** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 5:35 pm

Hahaha, that's so funny and appropriate too! I just told my son about Mars and I received violent protest saying that Jupiter belongs to him.

So glad to hear from a fellow parent who exposes children to astronomy. Hope to meet up with your family sometimes.

Regards,
Lily

mrngbss · Post by **mrngbss** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 5:57 pm

Hi Lily,
Welcome aboard! The people here organises observation sessions very often, and you could join them too.
My school (i'm a teacher) organises star parties for primary 5 students teaching them how to recognise beautiful objects in the sky. If you need some resources to help your children, I could provide you with some.

alvinsclee · Post by **alvinsclee** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 6:19 pm

Welcome to the friendly Singastro forum, Lily.

Teacher says Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system... so your son might have linked it with "strength" (all boys want to be strong!)... as for your daughter, the ring around Saturn could be a big draw (many girls would love to have adornments, don't they? Especially diamond ones!)

Just my speculations from a child's point of view. Anyone wants to claim Krypton as their personal planet? Can disable Superman... haha.
Cheers!

mrngbss · Post by **mrngbss** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 6:26 pm

Good thinking Alvin!! haha

kayheem · Post by **kayheem** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 7:41 pm

alvinsclee wrote:Anyone wants to claim Krypton as their personal planet? Can disable Superman... haha.
Cheers!

Er.. excuse me...planet Krypton does not exist anymore. It was destroyed. That is why we have Superman!

alvinsclee · Post by **alvinsclee** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 8:45 pm

Kayheem -

You got to read "Revisiting Krypton" about its reformation in the late 1980s...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krypton_%2 ... ng_Krypton

More about Planet Krypton...
http://theages.superman.ws/Encyclopaedia/krypton.php

Lily - Let your son keep Jupiter if he insists... in Roman mythology, Jupiter is the patron deity of the Roman state, in charge of laws and social order... so you may have a lawyer in the house ;)

Also, Saturn is a major Roman deity of agriculture... you'll have good harvests as well... perhaps daughter will grow up to achieve generous revenue for the family

kayheem · Post by **kayheem** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 9:53 pm

Hey Alvin, I read your link. It says that Krypton was reforming but will take millions of years. I just watched Superman last week. Superman went back to krypton but found nothing!

Post by **Airconvent** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 12:21 am

Welcome to Singastro Lily.
For beginners, may I suggest that your kids pick up some of the really great children's astronomy books from the library and bookstores.
these are written in a friendly manner. as the kids get accustomed to the way the universe works, you can work yourself up to constellation identification and of course, eventually buying a telescope!

rich