Course materials will be available for 1 week after the course has completed.
Click on the course's title on the left frame to see an overview of the course and a link to download it's pdf.
- TELESCOPE SERIES PART 1
SO, YOU HAVE A TELESCOPE, NOW WHAT?
Telescope too much trouble to use? Didn’t really match up to your expectations? Get expert advice on how to put joy and wonderment back into that old scope! Sifan will guide you through how to use your telescope, what to look for (and where) and resources to help you enjoy the night sky.
Bring your telescope to class, we'll teach it a thing or two ... - Major points:
Align your finder scope with main scope
Use large # eyepiece (lower power) first
Things will be upside down and backwards
(Therefore move scope in the ‘opposite’ direction)
Stabilize your mount
Try observing the moon
- Right click/save link as, to download the slides for this course
- TELESCOPE SERIES PART 2
OK, I CAN SEE THROUGH MY TELESCOPE. WHAT’S NEXT?
Getting a little bored with that old telescope? Having a hard time convincing yourself to take it out of the closet? Sifan will give you some of her tips for how to best use your telescope, describe some interesting objects to help keep that telescope being used and some tips and tricks for quick and hassle-free setup and use.
Bring your telescope to class, we'll teach it a thing or three ...
- Major points:
Balance the OTA
Minimize Virbrations
Align tripod to north
Align finder scope to OTA
Use setting circles
Carefully clean optics
Check/fix culmination
Focusing
- Right click/save link as, to download the slides for this course
- TELESCOPE SERIES PART 3
HOW TO USE YOUR TELESCOPE AT NIGHT
How to take the frustration out of nighttime telescopic observing. Learn how to find out which interesting and cool celestial objects are up tonight, how to find them and get them within the telescopes field of view and be comfortable and enjoy an evening’s stargazing - Major points:
How to determine the capabilities of your telescope
Earth/Sky/Telescope coordinates
Location and Time
How to determine what's up tonight
Selecting objects within your equipments capability
Creating an observing plan
How to find an object with your telescope (star stepping)
Setup checklist
- Right click/save link as, to download the slides for this course
Bring your telescope to class, if the sky is clear, we'll attempt some observing.
- TELESCOPE SERIES PART 4
BEGINNER TELESCOPE AUTOMATION
Tired of spending forever locating that dim nebula or galaxy? Wish you could just push a button instead of endlessly bending down and peering up? Join Sifan as she takes you through the basics of automating your telescope
If the sky is clear, Sifan will remotely operate her observatory.
- Major points:
What can be automated: Mount, GPS, Alignment, Focus, Dew Heaters, Camera, Guider, Filter, Power, Dome, Apeture Cover, Sky and Environmental sensors
Cabling
Dome and Pier
Computers and automation
Example typical night of automated observing
- Right click/save link as, to download the slides for this course
- TELESCOPE SERIES PART 5
Beginning AstroPhotography
You too can take beautiful pictures of those celestial objects. Learn how to attach a camera to your telescope and take great color images of the sky. Sifan Kahale will demonstrate some of the techniques and guide you on how to get started.
If the sky is clear, Sifan will remotely operate her observatory and take some pretty pictures.
- Major points:
Types of Astrophotography
Cameras and attaching them to a telescope
Framing the object and field of view
Light Pollution and filters
Calabration frames to correct for camera noise
Process and stacking images
- Right click/save link as, to download the slides for this course