BobinKy
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/27/07
Posts: 1683
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I have an opportunity to start a local astronomy club in my home town. If I do this thing, I am thinking about a binocular astronomy club--as opposed to a telescope-based astronomy club. Does anybody have any ideas, suggestions, or comments on such an endeavor?
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Bob
38°N
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Luigi
Post Laureate
Reged: 07/03/07
Posts: 4940
Loc: MA
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What is the nature of the opportunity? Is it access to an observing site, clubhouse, ...???
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17.5" f/5 Dob. IM-715 MCT. 120ED. Lunt 60mm Ha.
Zeiss, Leica, Fujinon, Nikon, Pentax, Bushnell bins
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BobinKy
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/27/07
Posts: 1683
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We have an Audubon nature center with an indoor nature center that is away from the lights. The nature center is available for meetings, but not for storage of equipment or books.
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Bob
38°N
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edwincjones
Postmaster
Reged: 04/10/04
Posts: 5668
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I think that binoculars only is too exclusive.
Make it for all with a binocular subsection is my suggestion.
edj
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n w arkansas
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WOBentley
member
Reged: 09/16/09
Posts: 56
Loc: Pacific Northwest USA
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I agree, binocular only is too exclusive. Will likley limit members. You could do things like have an all binocular observing night etc. to promote binocular astronomy.
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My Sky; Where being blue is good...
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rookie
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 01/14/06
Posts: 878
Loc: St. Petersburg, FL
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Hi Bob,
I like the idea very much.
Lots of people have binoculars but most of them have never thought of using them to look at the night sky. It might encourage them to dig them out of the top shelf and come to your club.
The little book:
Exploring the Night Sky with Binoculars by David Chandler could be a good beginning text, and of course, his very nice Night Sky Star Dial.
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SV
Scope: Celestron CPC8
Binoculars: Garrett GT80~45, Fujinon 16x70, Regals 10x42, Ultima 9x63, Nikon AE 8x40
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KennyJ
Reged: 04/27/03
Posts: 12901
Loc: Lancashire UK
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Hi Bob ,
Much depends on whether or not one really prefers viewing with other people around ( especially amongst complete strangers ) and how well the meetings are advertised .
Every year when I organise the Lancashire Annual Sheep Counting Through Binoculars Contest ( LASCTBC ) I restrict the flyers advertising the event to just the one stuck onto the refrigerator door in our kitchen .
Throughout the seven years of the contest's history I've been the only one to turn up at the event , but at least I've won all seven trophies and remain undefeated champion !
Kenny
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edwincjones
Postmaster
Reged: 04/10/04
Posts: 5668
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Kenny,
Someday, some of us, will come.
I have many awards-but no sheep counting through binoculars.
the trophy would look good on this side of the pond
edj
hope that this post does not create an international crisis
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n w arkansas
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edwincjones
Postmaster
Reged: 04/10/04
Posts: 5668
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Bob,
one of the big advantages of binoculars at star parties is ease of portability
and having access to the big scopes "that someone else carried"
edj
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EdZ
Professor EdZ
Reged: 02/15/02
Posts: 14731
Loc: Cumberland, R I , USA42N71.4W
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Barry Simon would have some good suggestions for this endeavor, as he is a strong proponent of binoculars and organizes an major binocular observing event and participates in a major club. I agree with some others to not limit your opportunities, but rather consider binocular observing a strong focus.
Kenny, next year I may submit a write-in count. Not sure if I would attempt long range observation of Lancashire sheep of simply count locals. Do ours score as high, or do we have to count two for every one of yours?
edz
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Teach a kid something today. The feeling you'll get is one of life's greatest rewards.
member#21
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harbinjer
super member
Reged: 12/17/08
Posts: 126
Loc: Southeastern Minnesota
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Bob, arrangements can change(with the nature center). I would start a universal astronomy club, because the first thing you want is a good member base. You don't want to turn people away. And you'll get to take advantage of other people's larger scopes(as edj said). You can certainly emphasize binoculars too, but do welcome people with scopes. Make the club as friendly to beginners as possible(that's how you keep new members coming back). Once you have a nice sized group, with everyone's connections and resources, you can do a lot in the facilities area in the future.
But your first problem is to get a club together and going. Maybe someone in the club will have better ideas about where the best star party sites are. So don't worry about the rest yet.
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brocknroller
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/16/03
Posts: 1947
Loc: Vallée des nuages
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Edz made a sheep joke! Catch me, I'm going to faint. :-)
Barry Simon is a good resource. In fact, his avatar is a photo of him looking at the stars with binoculars.
I can see "binoculars only" outings as a subgroup, as some suggested, but the chief problem with stargazing is that sooner or later everyone in your group is going to succumb to that often fatal to one's bank account disease called "aperture fever".
It's also tough to have public observing events with binoculars, as I found out.
Even though I had my 12x50 SE mounted on a SkyWindow, and had a step ladder for the wee folk, having to readjust IPDs, the right diopter, and the central focuser for each person individually, the lines grew long and visitors became impatient and moved on to the telescopes.
And one child almost knocked over the entire set up (and the SkyWindow was no lightweight, but neither was he :-).
It seems that rookie is interested in your idea so perhaps you can form a virtual binocular observing group.
Most of the discussions on this forum are about the binoculars themselves, though we sometimes get observing reports, particularly when they are tied to a topical celestial event or when they are related to a bin review.
So perhaps there's room on CN or elsewhere for a dedicated bin observing forum or subforum.
I realize it's not the same as under-the-sky, elbow-to-elbow observing in a local group, but I think you might find more people interested.
Good Luck! whichever way you take it.
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B'rock, son of Grilka
Member of the House of Kozak
Klingon Poet-Warrior
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"The character of a Klingon poet-warrior is measured not only by the metal of his blade--but also by the mettle of his words."
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rookie
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 01/14/06
Posts: 878
Loc: St. Petersburg, FL
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Bob,
Our astronomy club has been swamped with recent requests from schools and scout troops for special speakers. I think there is a real need out there for education that does not cost a whole lot of money.
How would you let the public know about your club?
btw, I think I found Kenny counting sheep on Google Earth here.
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SV
Scope: Celestron CPC8
Binoculars: Garrett GT80~45, Fujinon 16x70, Regals 10x42, Ultima 9x63, Nikon AE 8x40
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EdZ
Professor EdZ
Reged: 02/15/02
Posts: 14731
Loc: Cumberland, R I , USA42N71.4W
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outstanding!
edz
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Teach a kid something today. The feeling you'll get is one of life's greatest rewards.
member#21
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KennyJ
Reged: 04/27/03
Posts: 12901
Loc: Lancashire UK
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Bob ,
If binoculars are closer to your heart than astronomy itself , or even if the two hobbies are equally split , perhaps you could try starting a binocular club -- period --for daytime gatherings and outings ?
Also , it seeming to be such a contentious issue , perhaps you could arrange occasional meetings at times of twilight , such as dawn and dusk , to compare the effective twilight factors of binoculars with varying magnifications and exit - pupils , with other users ?
Be sure to note the precise latitudes of any such experiments though , and brush up on your world geographical knowledge , as one of the latest debates on the Cloudy Days forum is based upon the differences between how far north and south of Milan the observer happens to be at any given time of testing binoculars !
Kenny
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edwincjones
Postmaster
Reged: 04/10/04
Posts: 5668
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Post deleted by edwincjones
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edwincjones
Postmaster
Reged: 04/10/04
Posts: 5668
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I have pushed binoculars with my astronomy club for years,
and more and more are coming with scopes AND binoculars,
or just binoculars now.
It is a slow process, but with time and patience, binoculars can prevail;
BUT you need a large base to get the few bino folks.
edj
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n w arkansas
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edwincjones
Postmaster
Reged: 04/10/04
Posts: 5668
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Quote:
Quote:
btw, I think I found Kenny counting sheep on Google Earth here.
maybe there is something to this sheep counting
or maybe, just maybe, we can set up an international binocular star party on a sheep ranch?
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BobinKy
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/27/07
Posts: 1683
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Thanks for all of the comments and suggestions.
I must admit Kenny's suggestion of a binocular club is probably closer to what suits my current interests. I enjoy nature observing during the day, as well as night observing. And my interests are broader than just binoculars. I also enjoy small refractors, microscopes, and my latest love, range finders.
I will give it some thought during the coming months. Thanks again for all of the suggestions.
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Bob
38°N
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BarrySimon615
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/01/04
Posts: 1279
Loc: New Orleans, LA
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Yes, binoculars are close to my heart. I have done numerous programs on binoculars and their use including the recent "Celestial Objects for Binoculars" list that we voted on here and at the BinocularAstronomy Yahoo Group last year. Having said this I would say any individual or even a small group of individuals would have a daunting task ahead of them in organizing either a binoculars only club or a binoculars only star party. Not that many people don't use binoculars a lot, it is just that binoculars is one of several tools in their toolbag so to speak. I know from feelers that I have put out, a binoculars only star party either at our club observatory or as a separate event at another location would be hard to pull off. At least that is my assessment for my area based upon conversations I have had with amateur astronomers here.
I believe an ideal type event that could also serve as a "binoculars only" star party would be either a hiking/camping retreat that could work for just a few couples or for perhaps as many as 20 people or so; or a cruise for amateur astronomers during a new moon period where the constraints of travel would likely prevent bringing a mounted telescope beyond maybe a small telescope on a good tripod like a Bogen. I know if I ever go on a cruise to the "south seas" it will be with my Bogen tripod and either the 20x100 Miyauchi binoculars or the 16x70 Fujinon binoculars.
Barry Simon
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