Saturday, May 4, 2024, 8:30pm (8:00pm setup)
Galaxy Quest Observatory
84 Vancycle Road, Lincolnville, ME 04849
Get accurate driving directions at the link above! On Vancycle Road, shortly after the pavement changes to gravel, look on the left for the sign marking the entrance to Donkey Universe Farm. Park near the barn. On foot, turn left after the barn to find the observatory out in the field.
Electronically assisted astronomy is quickly becoming popular, even as there is still nothing quite like seeing the heavens with your own eyeballs assisted by fine optics. Galaxy Quest shows both sides of contemporary astronomy. Jacob’s new SeeStar electronically assisted telescope is a small, lightweight, automated astrograph that cuts through light pollution and broadcasts pictures to phones and tablets. It is also low-priced, at least when compared with the cost of equipment for traditional astrophotography. Even more amazing is the Astroid Augmented Reality Finder now fitted to the awesome Big Dob. Think of it as an automated robotic expert visual astronomer. The Astroid’s camera compares what it sees in the sky with an internal database, telling where to point the Dob to place any object exactly centered in the eyepiece! This is a game-changer for amateur astronomers whose desire to see faint objects exceeds their skills at finding them with old-school methods. It can be used to move quickly and efficiently between objects, or as a check when developing one’s old-school skills, and it attaches to any optical telescope of your choice:
