Astronomy Day 2005

by Blaire Pellatt

The day began with a cloudburst (of activity) both outside "the Hall" and inside .When I arrived a half hour early to set up my Dobsonian, it seemed that I was late for the event.

Let me explain this feeling. On Friday a few of us had gathered to set up tables chairs and bulletin boards. It was very dull and empty in "the hall" after I had left for home. On Saturday when I returned back to set-up, that same space I had left yesterday - quite bare - was teeming with people all set to greet the public with smiles and posters and lots of colourful conversation. It was if I was in quite a different place. Like magic the day unfolded bright and alive both inside and out. The time just flew!

There was one other episode that I will never forget!

All amidst this beehive of activity while people whirled around my telescope wondering how I could bring Saturn down inside the eyepiece. I noticed a young girl approach my bulletin board alone and discretely look at a book I had left there for people to look at. My attention was quickly diverted to a young lad hanging off my telescope, trying to figure out where that Martian had come from at the bottom of my telescope. I managed to solve the lad's question, then I turned back to make sure that my book was still there. It was gone! I quickly looked around to see if I could see the girl that had been looking at it.

To my surprise, that same girl was crouched down between the wall and the couch (beside my display) - a space barely wide enough to fit her. Here the book was, and she was intently reading - away from all the bustle. Then another child came up to my scope and diverted my attention. This lasted for a short time and then another and another came to see what the telescope could see. After about 30 minutes I gazed over at the display The book was back exactly where I had put it. The girl was gone!

Who knows what wonders were going through her mind during this brief time that she was reading. I hope that this one moment will make a lasting impression on her. I know that I will never forget it!

P.S. By the way; the book was Hubble -The space telescope's eye on the cosmos by William Harwood (Copyright 2002, an Astronomy Magazine publication)