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[ATM] ATM and young people

This year my daughter decided to make a telescope for her high school science fair - she is a Junior.  She ground, polished, and figured (by herself) a f10 3" mirror, made the mirror mount and secondary holder and put it in a tube.  It was mounted in the paint bucket mount that I have described on the Internet.  Having done this she did her experiment.  Her hypothesis was:  "Teenagers will be more excited about astronomy if they look through a telescope built by a teenager than they would be looking at a picture from the Hubble telescope."  
   
  She set up her telescope to look at Saturn (12mm eyepiece), then had them look at a beautiful Hubble picture of Saturn, and then had them answer a short questionnaire.  Briefly the results were: 
   
  "What creates the most interest in astronomy?"  (Gina's telescope - 90%, Hubble 10%)
  "What is the most exciting?"  (Gina's telescope 95%, Hubble 5%)
  "What is more enjoyable?"  (Gina's telescope 90%, Hubble 10%)
   
  Her conclusion:  if you want young people to become more interested in astronomy or any science show them the real thing and get them involved.  
   
  Her peers were mighty impressed with her that she could even operate a telescope much less make one - they kept asking her if she was "a genius."   What ever the lasting experience may have on her peers will be hard to say, but she was genuinely excited about the experience and found that being "the scientist" is fun.  She is planning on going into math in college but is now thinking she might look into physics too.  
   
  ATM is a great hobby, the people are generous and helpful and the subject deep and interesting, but it is also a way to introduce young people into the process of science and engineering.  (Though potato batteries are pretty cool!)
   
  Gil McFarlane
  Ventura, CA
   
   
   
   

  
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