McDonald Observatory invites both new telescope owners and prospective buyers to its ‘Telescopes 101’ workshops, scheduled for January 8, February 5, and April 9, 2025. These educational sessions, to be held at the Frank N. Bash Visitors Center, are designed to help participants understand the fundamentals of telescope use and celestial navigation.
The workshops will cover various essential topics, including the different types of telescopes and mounts, the significance of aperture versus magnification, and the use of eyepieces and other accessories. The program is structured to start with classroom instruction, where participants will engage in hands-on activities to better grasp how optics work and how to efficiently navigate the night sky.
Following the initial classroom session, the workshop will move to the observatory’s telescope park. Here, participants will have the opportunity to put their newly acquired knowledge to the test by identifying specific objects in the sky and practicing with different telescopes and mounts.
The goal of ‘Telescopes 101’ is to equip attendees with a comprehensive understanding of how telescopes function and how to locate celestial bodies, making these workshops ideal for anyone looking to enhance their stargazing skills.
For more information or to register for one of the upcoming ‘Telescopes 101’ workshops, please visit the McDonald Observatory’s website at https://mcdonaldobservatory.org/visitors/programs/telescopes-101.
