So, you bought a shiny new telescope to enjoy viewing the Wimberley Valley’s dark skies, but you still haven’t quite figured out how to work it. Help is on the way. The Wimberley Valley Dark Sky organization joins with the Astronomy Club of Texas State University, to offer a free onenight Telescope Teaching Seminar, 5:45 p.m. April 26 at Blue Hole Regional Park, just prior to the Spring Blue Hole Star Party.
“It’s an outreach for all the people who come to our star parties and ask if we can teach them how to use their telescopes,” said Jamie Kinscherff, Outreach Coordinator for Wimberley Valley Dark Sky. “When the Star Party is about to begin, we don’t have time to do that, so this is to satisfy that need.”
The telescope class is on the Blue Hole soccer fields, near the basketball court. Signin opens at 5:45 p.m. April 26. Classes start promptly at 6 p.m. and last 45 minutes. Because of the brief time period, participants are urged to arrive and sign-in before 6 p.m.
The seminar will have two groups, one for people with digital telescopes, the other for owners of traditional non-computer-linked telescopes. Sessions will be guided by members of the Texas State club and Kinscherff.
Spring Blue Hole Star Party activities kickoff at 6:45 p.m. with live music from Sam Downing and the Bandits. Learn more about Sam at samdowningmusic. com/. As the sky darkens, there will be a night sky discussion soon after 8 p.m., with telescope viewing starting around 8:30 p.m. A laser night sky tour begins when the sky is fully dark.
For more Star Party information, go to wimberleyparksandrec. com and from the top menu, choose Recreation, and then Special Events. The seminar and Star Party are free, no reservations are required. In case of poor viewing weather, both the Telescope Seminar and the Star Party will be rescheduled.
