Telescopes and Exploring the Night Sky

Course: Telescopes and Exploring the Night Sky

This course is for astronomy enthusiasts wanting to get acquainted with the night sky. Participants will learn how to identify the constellations and get experience with telescopes. Learning will be through lectures, on-hand demonstrations, and observation. The use, pros and cons, accessories, and eyepieces will be reviewed in connection with the most common telescopes—the refractor, reflector, and SCT (Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope). These scopes will be used for actual viewing of the night sky, including the moon, visible planets, clusters of stars, nebulae, and galaxies. Tucson typically has clear nights, which should ensure plenty of practice learning the constellations and using the telescopes. This is a fun course so there won’t be any quizzes or tests (written for a laugh but fun is most important). Reference books and star charts will be provided free for participants to keep.

Location: East Campus building E3 room 303