The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

The Sisters Astronomy Club opens its 2023 public observing season with a telescope workshop Saturday evening April 29 at the Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD), beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Have you or a family member ever received a telescope as a Christmas or birthday gift that just didn't seem to operate properly? Or maybe the scope has been sitting in the garage or attic for years and you've simply forgotten how to operate it.

Bring it to the workshop, where experienced amateur astronomers will be on hand to help troubleshoot your instrument. This will include instruction on how to align finder scopes and equatorial mounts, among other things. If your telescope or finder scope operates on batteries, make sure they are fresh.

Handouts that illustrate the designs of common telescopes, including useful terminology and simple equations for calculating magnification, or power, will be made available.

Later in the evening a first-quarter moon will appear high in the southern sky, making an ideal target for your newly adjusted telescope.

This is a free drop-in event; no preregistration is necessary.

SPRD is located at 1750 McKinney Butte Rd., on the west side of Sisters High School's south parking lot.