Jackson Community College

Space & Science Center Hosts

Introduction to Telescopes:  A Workshop

Saturday, January 18, 2003, 7:00 p.m. 

So, you got a telescope for Christmas.  Now what?  Every year, thousands of people receive telescopes as gifts, and for many this opens up a wonderful new hobby full of excitement and learning as they explore the night sky.  But for others, the experience of setting up, adjusting and using a telescope can be an exercise in frustration. 

To make sure that new telescope users get off on the right foot, the Michigan Space & Science Center and the Amateur Astronomers of Jackson will be presenting "Introduction to Telescopes," a workshop designed to help beginners to understand how telescopes work and how to use them successfully.  The workshop will be held on Saturday, January 18, 2003 at 7:00 p.m. in the Michigan Space & Science Center auditorium.  The Center will open at 6:30 p.m. for workshop attendees to browse the exhibits before the presentation.

The workshop will feature everything the beginning telescope user will want to know.  Members of the Amateur Astronomers of Jackson will be talking about and demonstrating the different types of telescopes that are available, how they work, how to set them up, and how to choose the right eyepieces.  They will also cover some of the resources that are available to new astronomers, and some of the wonderful celestial objects that can be seen.  Then, if weather permits, the workshop will head outside to put this knowledge into practice.  The workshop will offer a lot of individual attention and attendees are encouraged to bring their telescopes for help with set-up and alignment.

The "Introduction to Telescopes" workshop costs $10 per person, or $15 for the entire family ($5 and $10 respectively, for Michigan Space & Science Center members.)  Seating is limited, so reservations are required.  Reservations can be made by calling the Michigan Space and Science Center at (517) 787-4425.

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The Michigan Space & Science Center is the only museum in Michigan dedicated to humanity's exploration of space.  It is located on the campus of Jackson Community College, just minutes south of I-94.  The Center's regular hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Admission is $4.00 for adults, $2.75 for students and senior Citizens.  Children 5 and under are admitted free, as are Center members.

For more information, contact the Michigan Space & Science Center at (517) 787-4425. 

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