by Will Sager
It’s that time of year again. The Halloween candy has been consumed, the turkey is gone, and the mall is playing Christmas carols (endlessly). Once again many people will think that purchasing a telescope as a Christmas gift for a budding astronomer would be the perfect thing. If you are in this group of well-meaning people, we are going to have a tough conversation here and my goal is to strip away the gauzy rose-colored filter from your blurred vision. There are myriad ways to mess this up and plenty of retailers who would love to take your money. But do not despair, I know many amateur astronomers in this very organization whose love of astronomy started in just this way (myself included).
An example of a high power telescope ad from 1952. Criterion actually made some good telescopes in the 1960s and 1970s, but this was probably not one of them.
I have started and restarted this article several times because it rapidly bogs down in telescope details. What makes a good telescope? How do you recognize one that is not? Let me start by repurposing an old saying: there are good telescopes and there are cheap telescopes, but there are no good cheap telescopes. Of course, this depends on your definition of “good” and “cheap”. Start this debate at a star party and it will provide amusement for hours. The motivation here is that nobody (except cheap telescope sellers) wants you to buy a “hobby killer”: a telescope so frustrating that it kills your neophyte’s interest before it can bloom. There are so many variables in this quest that it is difficult to give foolproof suggestions. I will try to give some perspectives based on many years of looking through telescopes, but your mileage may vary.
In honor of the Artemis 1 mission, we feature an asterism that looks like a rocket ship. This asterism, sometimes labeled as an open cluster, is located in Pisces, near the border with Aquarius.
If you are interested in learning what an EAA setup looks like and the steps needed to start an EAA session, join the EAA SIG site around 17:20 during the HAS Annual Picnic & Star Party! We will cover both hardware and software setup, polar alignment, slewing to a target and plate solving, live stacking and more. Questions are welcome and we will be doing EAA live during the night! — Carlos Arieu, EAA SIG
If you are new to astronomy, this program is for you. Meet me on the observing field for a binocular and naked eye tour of some of the prettiest, easiest to spot objects of the autumn sky. We will see as many as 15 star clusters, galaxies, unique constellations, and the rarely seen, ninth brightest star, all in a single night. If you find 5, the VSIG coordinator will award you a Novice certificate! See VSIG below. So bring your binoculars and meet me at the BINO SIG sign. Be sure to visit the other SIGs on the field, too, and discover what else amateur astronomy has to offer — Rene Gedaly, Field Trip & Observing
Hello Observers! The HAS Annual Picnic is fast approaching. Allow me to present the official visual observing program for the picnic, sponsored by the HAS Visual Observing Special Interest Group (VSIG). There are three levels of award available: novice, intermediate, and advanced. Observations MUST be done at the picnic to qualify. 