Do you love stars and space outside of this planet? Have you heard of the Stargazing at the Peltzer farm in Temecula? On Tuesday, February 4 from 6:00-8:00, Mr.Hinrichs, a beloved science teacher at TMS, hosted the annual Peltzer farm stargazing and the PTSA. There were telescopes you could look through to see the most beautiful thing this universe has to offer, the Planets, stars, and constellations. It was completely free of charge for you and your family.
What does stargazing mean to you Mr. Hinrichs, and why do you love it?
“To me, star gazing (and moon and planet gazing) means making the far away make sense. Seeing that moons and planets are not just round things reflecting the sun’s light, but actually worlds, with mountains and canyons, and vast flat plains. I love that about putting my eye on a telescope. Seeing faraway things like stars and nebulae and galaxies gives me such a sense of wonder. I love it because it makes the things I wonder about real to my eye. It makes life meaningful.” (Mr. Hinrichs)
What is so important about the stars?
“They are important for a number of reasons. First of all, they make the night sky interesting. Instead of just a wall of blackness, we have this beautiful sparkling expanse to enjoy.
Second of all, it is a star that makes daytime even exist! Thanks to the sun, the Earth is provided with all the energy necessary for living things to flourish. The stars are also important because if you know the constellations of the zodiac, you have a calendar in the sky. Lastly, the stars are a map that tells a traveler where the North, South, East, and West are. My favorite part about stars and their importance to me is that I love to lie down on a lounge chair outside at night and just gaze at the beauty of the night sky. Seeing beauty gives life meaning.” (Mr. Hinrichs)
What is your favorite star and constellation and why?
“My favorite constellation would have to be Orion. It is very easily visible in the winter when the sun sets early, and the hours of night are long. It points to our brightest star in the sky, (Sirius) and has a couple of supergiant stars on it. The 3 stars of the belt are easy to spot and help to identify the constellation quickly.” (Mr. Hinrichs)
What knowledge would you like to leave for future students or current students?
“Thanks for asking that. I guess I’d like to leave knowledge from 2 different perspectives.First, as a teacher of science, I want to leave students with the knowledge that the natural world is a fascinating thing to learn about. It is so worth the pursuit of understanding it. The incredible systems and structures from inside the tiniest atom, to the way the largest galaxies interact with each other are just fascinating. Understanding the way the natural world is put together gives life meaning. Second, as a teacher of kids, I want to leave them the knowledge that they are immensely valuable. Since they are so valuable, they have both the opportunity and the responsibility to use their value to contribute good to the circumstances in which they find themselves. Good in their families, good to their school and the people in it, and good to the rest of the world with which they come in contact. Using our values to bring good to the world gives life meaning.” (Mr. Hinrichs)
As you can see, Mr Hinrichs loves science and astronomy so much. Mr. Hinrichs is a great interactive teacher, he focuses on hands-on activities. Recently Mr.Hinrichs set up a solar system in his classroom, it consists of the sun, mini handheld earths and the stars above us. Mr Hinrichs is an amazing teacher who loves his students and the universe around us.
If you went to the stargazing night, let us know in the comments, and let us know your favorite planet or constellation.
