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Friday, October 12, 2007
Getting starry eyed
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I blame my interest in astronomy on our next door neighbor when I was 13. She wasn’t an astronomer or a scientist, but she did flame my teenaged heart when she washed her car.
So I begged my folks for a telescope. The neighbor soon moved, but my interest in telescopes and astronomy stayed. Now that winter - and the clear skies that it brings - is on the way, lets talk about getting started as a stargazer.
Standard advice is to start with a good pair of 7 x 50 binoculars and a star locator. Here’s why: It’s easier to find objects in the sky with the wide field of view from binoculars. Besides, a cheap telescope offers such a lousy view that it can be worse than no telescope at all.
As far as the star locator, it’s basically a map of the night sky. I’d suggest one from Edmund Scientific priced at $3. You can find it by clicking on the astronomy link hereScientific Online.
I also recommend a book, “Night Sky: A Field Guide to the Heavens,” by Mark R. Chartrand and Helmut K. Wimmer. The book, part of the Golden Field Guide Series, retails for $14.95, but you can pick it up for $11.66 at Amazon.com.
OK, with that out of the way, let me spend a moment arguing with myself a little (I usually win). While binoculars are still a good bet for a beginner, I can also argue for a some fairly inexpensive telescopes. I base this on an e-mail I received the last time I wrote about scopes. The fellow explained that his son fell in love with astronomy based on viewing the craters of the moon. Most cheap scopes do an adequate job for moon-gazing.
At the same Web site I listed for the star locator, you can find a $200 telescope called the Astroscan. Like binoculars, it offers a wide field of vision, and it’s well-made. So if you just can’t wait to buy a scope, consider that one.
While winter brings nice clear skies for viewing, light pollution can still be an issue. If you live in a city or built-up area, most of your viewing will be limited to the moon, a few planets and some of the brightest objects in the sky. You don’t appreciate light pollution until you try to view a dim object from a backyard in the city.
One way around it is to plan a weekend trip to a place where skies are relatively dark. Even without binoculars or a telescope the difference is shocking - especially to those who spend most of their evenings in town. For one thing, you’ll find out how the Milky Way really got its name.
Any light you use to see a star locator or book can also make viewing more difficult. Most folks use a red filter in front of a small flashlight to keep their night vision. Also keep comfort in mind: clothes warm enough for quick jaunts outside the car aren’t warm enough for prolonged periods outside.
If you buy all or part of this for a child, also take this advice: Let them mess around with the binoculars or the telescope. If they want to read the book and use the star locator, so much the better. But if they just want to play, grit your teeth and stay away. Some of life’s most fun activities can be spoiled by parents who try to make everything educational.
If the interest is sparked, books and locator will follow. If not, all this will end up in a closet anyway. Even then, all is not lost. Unlike computers and electronic gadgets, binoculars and telescopes are never out of date.
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