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Orion's Top 37 Reasons to Dust off your Telescope
Orion's Top 37 Reasons to Dust off your Telescope

In honor of our 37th anniversary, we offer 37 ideas to celebrate the hobby we love.

  1. Remember why you got it in the first place - Revisit the joy of stargazing.
  2. Scan the sky - The sky is constantly changing; there are always new wonders in astronomy.
  3. Share your hobby - This doesn’t need to be a solo hobby. Share the fun.
  4. Explore the Moon - Get a field map and log details on the moon.
  5. Get Ready for Jupiter - Visible now before dawn, the best planetary show in the sky is coming this fall and winter (visible in the early evening); filters help bring out the belt detail.
  6. Catch Saturn - Saturn is still well placed in the evening sky. You can see the rings with almost any telescope.
  7. Track Neptune - Neptune is in opposition in August, but still a challenge in a small scope.
  8. Zodiac - Work your way through the constellations of the Zodiac.
  9. Star Charts - Having a roadmap makes it easier to find things. Orion offers a monthly chart online
  10. Find the Orion Nebula - Our all-time, personal favorite!
  11. Find a Bright Planetary - Even in a city, during the summer, the Ring Nebula is frequently visible. To boost contrast use an OIII eyepiece filter.
  12. Galaxies - Explore the galaxies. Go beyond the Milky Way to Andromeda and beyond.
  13. View all Messier objects - Try to find as many of the Messier objects as possible.
  14. Go Deeper with the Caldwell catalog - Try the same thing with the Caldwell catalog
  15. Camera - Try astrophotography to take your hobby to a new level.
  16. Filters - Experiment with color filters on the planets and with SkyGlow filters for nebula.
  17. Sun - Break out that solar filter. Sunspots come and go all the time.
  18. Adjust your finderscope - Being unable to find things is frustrating. Taking the time to adjust the scope will make things much easier (or get one if your scope doesn’t have it)!
  19. Smartphone astronomy - Smartphone’s have astronomy apps available. Keep yours handy.
  20. Take Pictures with your iPhone - Orion has the adaptors to mount your iPhone to snap pictures of the moon, planets and more.
  21. Astrogoggles - Astrogoggles protect your night vision when you run inside. For the same reason, get a red-beam flashlight when outside reading charts.
  22. Laser Pointer - A laser is a fun way to share astronomy with friends.
  23. Use Binoculars - Binoculars are a great complement to a telescope.
  24. Take a course - You’ll not only learn, but meet new hobbyists.
  25. Earth Gazing - Turn your scope earthward. Find a high spot and explore the world around you.
  26. Subscribe to a blog - Learn about events. It’s over 100 years to the next Venus transit. Don’t miss another once-in-a-lifetime event.
  27. Join a club - Meet people and go stargazing together.
  28. Eyepieces - Get a new high power eyepiece for planets or a wide-field to more easily catch nebulae.
  29. Get a chair - Find a swiveling stool at the right height so you don’t have to stand or bend over.
  30. Hold an event - Invite friends and fellow hobbyists and make a night of stargazing.
  31. Catch a Meteor Shower - A great one is coming in August, the Perseids.
  32. Try finding and following the Space Station - This is about as bright as Jupiter!
  33. Look for Satellites. Try to spot satellites and other man-made objects.
  34. Bird watching - Use your scope for watching birds and other animals.
  35. Try sketching what you see - You don’t have to be an artist, but this can help catalog your finds. Sketch your moon findings.
  36. Test how far can you see - What’s the most distant object you can track down?
  37. Just have fun -That’s why you bought the telescope in the first place!
Details
Date Taken: 07/11/2012
Author: Regular Contributor, Daryl from Dunwoody, Georgia
Category: Astronomy

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