Can You See Through the Forecast With a Telescope or Binoculars

There has been a lot of days of build up to this upcoming hurricane on the east coast, and for the past two, thats all there has been on the news and cable talking heads.  It seems to me that it was only the 90's when the last one came up the cost, and after it hit North Carolina, it disappeared from the news, though it brought lots of rain and some flooding a lot further north, as I recall. 

Since the advent of television, there has been a lot more pre-coverage of storms coming up the coast than before Katrina hit a few years ago.  I'm just focusing through my binoculars at the evening sky just to see if there are moving winds to the east, because over the many reportings, it has been my experience that the threat was really not there.  So today's rambling is merely one of not believing as much in the constant reporting on TV. 

I'll do the usual, and make sure I have batteries, water, gas in the truck, a full tank of propane, and then watch the Sox sweep the A's over the weekend.

Here's to not waiting for the inevitable..

Your Pop Optics

Backyard Optics: There's Something About Mourning Doves

Good Morning Birders,

I'm searching for information about Mourning Dove attitudes.   We've got a lot of criters and creatures in the yard, but there seems nothing more interesting that I have seen than the mourning dove.  I've got this pair of  10 x 25mm Bushness Roof Prism at the window sill for just the occasion for what I wit- nessed today.  A Morning Dove not just perched, but poised about 30 feet above ground and literally staring down a chipmunk on the ground stealing from one of our feeders.  This bird then swooped down at the cute little rodent, but just in time, the chipmunk leaped into the wild roses escaping its fate planned buy the Dove.

I'm stopping my search at this point and asking round and about birder nation as to this columbid behavior, and asking for an answer.  To date nothing has been effective at stopping the rodents from feeding from my stock of seed, but this particular Mourning Dove seems to be getting closer.

Let me know...

Robert Baruch
Your Telescope Blogger

A First Learning Time for you--A First Online for me

Today, I placed a second article online taking the form, if you will of a first lesson plan for an individual (first time teacher, or parent) to begin teaching the subject of optic tools for astronomy and other purposes other than pure science.  Before we continue go to the website to the Articles About the Optic Experience and click on the title:  Optics 101:  The First Lesson for the Star Gazer—Beyond aTeachable Moment.

Read through it and come back to this post.

I'm clearly interested in comments back here or for that matter directly to the site as having been a teacher (not in the sciences) I found it interesting enough to get a kid in the classroom to become an active participant in the subject of the day (or any other day for that matter).  

Before I retired, there wasn't a day that went by that I was stymied by the clueless in the room.  How light a fire under them?  How do I get them just make a decision one way or another:  "I am not at all interested in learning anything in this classroom." or "I am thoroughly enthused by the subject and I would crave to know more."

While I experienced teachable moments plenty while teaching, I realized after the fact that the subject of the course mattered less that being able to grasp a students interest on whatever instance came my way because I could always find a path back to the basis for the course of study at hand.  

This endeavor of mine in the study of and marketing of optics devises has all the relationship in the world to the art of the educator which held my occupational interests before this time.

Do I make any sense to you or am I all wet today?  Let me know.

More good stuff next time.

Bob

Pop Opticsw

Optics For The Newcomer--Teaching Kids Old and Young

Hi!
I'm the telescope blogger open to discussion and comments.  This is the first day on the job and my focus will be provide and listen to experiences in teaching and their application to  research and experiences in optics used for outdoor recreation.


My family and my classrooms have and will continue to be a lab for me as I expand my own knowledge of the subject.  Yes, I too am a newcomer, (somewhat) to the subject, but I have always enjoyed star gazing with the telescope, and binoculars for limited bird watching.  I've expanded my interest over the past year, when watching my grandsons, at dusk, gazing at the heavens from their back yard.  Now, while they are both a little young for it, parents are both willing and ready to dive into a teachable moment for those two boys.  Hey, it was sufficiently enlightening for me to dive in as well, to the business of marketing recreational optics including telescopes, binoculars, monoculars, and night vision googles.


So join me on this journey into the realm and add your thoughts and comments below or directly to me at the Telescope Blogger's email:  OpticBlogger@gmail.com.  I look forward to sharing once again next time.


Bob Baruch
The Telescope Blogger