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Win an 8-inch Celestron telescope by recounting your favourite skygazing story.
Credit score: NASA, ESA, and L. Bianchi (The Johns Hopkins College); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic College of America)
Within the autumn of 2002, I had a not-so-typical observing expertise. My spouse and I lived in El Paso, Texas, and we had a small observatory only a stone’s throw from our home. About 2 a.m. one morning, I walked out to the constructing to watch some double stars. Once I bought there, I seen the door was ajar, and one thing about it felt odd.
So — and I’ve by no means carried out this earlier than or since — I pulled out a small pocket flashlight and switched it on. There, in the midst of the observatory, was an grownup skunk. And it was trying proper at me.
I keep in mind considering, “Properly, so long as it’s dealing with me, I’m protected.” I circled and went again in the home to fetch a digicam. A number of seconds later I returned to the yard, solely to see my mammalian customer scurrying out between the bars of the fence.
Of on a regular basis spent in that observatory, probably the most profound lesson got here from that night time: All the time shut your doorways.
Give it a shot
Whether or not your most memorable sky session entails an sudden customer or an unforgettable sight by way of the eyepiece, we need to hear from you. Astronomy is accepting transient write-ups about your finest, most outstanding, favourite, and/or weirdest observing expertise in celebration of our 50-year anniversary. The winner will obtain a brand-new 8-inch telescope from Celestron.
Your most memorable statement doesn’t must be a Sixteenth-magnitude quasar, Gyulbudaghyan’s Nebula, Pluto’s moon Charon, or particular person crimson giants in Omega Centauri. It may very well be a sighting of Jupiter with its 4 Galilean moons in a notable sample, or a high-power have a look at the Moon’s Clavius Crater with its curving sample of ever smaller craterlets. Alternatively, your story may very well be about one thing distinctive that occurred throughout your astronomy journey or an observing session, like my very own story. In different phrases, any kind of story has an opportunity to win.
The principles
Ship entries to essaycontest@astronomy.com with the topic line, “Celestron Essay Contest.” The size have to be between 50 to 350 phrases, and a number of essays are allowed. Please embody your title, deal with, and telephone quantity. Contestants should reside within the U.S. and be over the age of 18 on the date of submission. Staff and stockholders of Kalmbach Media Co. or Celestron and their households are ineligible to take part. No buy is important to take part. Void the place prohibited.
The successful entry will probably be chosen by Astronomy editors based mostly on its circulation, readability, and originality. The winner will probably be introduced on Astronomy.com and will seem in a future difficulty. The competition begins July 5, 2023, at 12:00:00 A.M. CDT and ends no later than Aug. 31, 2023, at 11:59:59 A.M. CDT.
The prize
Our buddies at Celestron have demonstrated their generosity by donating the prize for the successful entry: a StarSense Explorer 8″ Smartphone App-Enabled Dobsonian Telescope.
This totally operational system consists of the optical tube, Dobsonian base, StarSense Explorer dock, eyepiece rack, 2″ Crayford focuser with an extension tube and a 2″ to 1¼” adapter, a 25mm eyepiece, and extra. For extra info on the scope, learn our evaluate of the 10-inch mannequin within the April 2023 difficulty.
The value for the scope is $799.95 ARV. The winner will obtain a 1099 type and will probably be liable for any associated taxes. Full contest particulars are on our web site: https://www.astronomy.com/celestron-essay-contest-rules/.
Extra tales
Blazing tail
On March 23, 1996, I journeyed to central Oregon to seize a picture of Comet Hyakutake. Round 1 A.M., the comet’s coma was close to Polaris and its tail stretched all the way in which into Hydra. The celebs shining by way of the lengthy tail produced an unbelievable 3D impact. I spotted this was in all probability a once-in-a-lifetime view, and I wanted to emblazon it in my reminiscence perpetually. — Rodney Pommier, astroimager and creator
Comets and dumbbells
On a crisp Michigan night time a few years in the past, my buddy and I went out to watch a comet. We have been each seasoned observers and didn’t take a finder chart, solely binoculars and a 4¼-inch scope. After some effort, we discovered a fuzzy object that needed to be the comet. My buddy lastly stated, “That’s not a comet, it’s a dumbbell like the 2 of us!” Certainly, it was the Dumbbell Nebula (M27). By no means go away house with out a finder chart. — Raymond Shubinski, contributing editor
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