Astronomy 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...

This summer will be the perfect time to observe the planets in the evening sky. Mars will be particularly bright and bold, reaching opposition on July 27th (the chart below highlights the evening of July 27th at 11:PM). Mars won't be this big and bright again until 2035! Jupiter and Saturn will also be extremely prominent, and don't forget Venus just after sunset! This will all make for a wonderful summer of planetary observing, what we are calling The Summer Parade of Planets!  The Mars Opposition will be July 27. Just four days later, the closest approach of Mars to Earth...

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...

The Total Solar Eclipse on Monday, August 21 is an event you don't want to miss! Even if you can't get to totality, the entire continental U.S. will experience at least a partial solar eclipse. It just so happens that August 21 is the first day of school for Denver Public Schools, and many other districts. Other districts will have already been in session for a week or two. While some parents will pull their kids out to witness the eclipse, most kids will be in class. This represents an amazing opportunity to take the classroom outside, and take science...

If this is your first solar eclipse, and you plan to bring a telescope or camera, make sure you have a safe and secure solar filter! This article summarizes some important safety information on using solar filters, including types of filters you need to avoid. We don't sell solar filters (other than the Eclipse Glasses) so I'm also including a list and links to known quality solar filter providers. Solar Filter Safety If you would like to observe the eclipse with a telescope, binoculars, or a camera, don’t get sucked into money saving “tricks” to block the light – spend...