Family RSS

I see too many very well intending parents buy the toy store telescope (often with an included microscope), only to find the whole experience of trying to setup and use their child's new prize to be a frustrating, rather than amazing, experience for them and their child. 

A Little Story about a Too-little Telescope

A few weeks ago at an astronomical club open house, some kids and their dad brought in a little telescope he'd gotten them. This was one of those $20 toy store items. It had a shaky little tripod that you would sit on a table (the legs didn't extend), a very small aperture lens (about 30mm) and a couple of very cheap plastic eyepieces. The family was frustrated because they weren't able to see anything through this little telescope, and even had trouble getting it pointed at the Moon...

August 21 is just 3 and 1/2 weeks away, and we want to make sure you can enjoy this event safely and comfortably!  There have been some news stories about potentially unsafe solar eclipse glasses available online through marketplaces like Amazon and eBay. It's important to know what to look for when shopping for eclipse glasses and solar filters. Look for Certification Marks To make sure you are buying safe Eclipse Glasses, or to verify the glasses you already have meet safety standards, look for the ISO or CE certification marks.  All of the eclipse glasses sold by Eclipse Kit and...