2024 AMATEUR ASTRONOMY COURSES

Saturdays from 3:30pm to 7:30pm CST
For ages eighteen and older.
$15 per in-parish registrant.
$18 per out-of-parish registrant.
Registration in progress.
Go to WebTrac to register (activity #531992).

These exciting one-day classes are tailor-made to instruct the patron in the use of a personal telescope or binocular, or the basics of the unaided-eye Baton Rouge sky.

1 FEBRUARY: Learn Your Sky

This class is an introduction to the unaided-eye Baton Rouge sky. We’ll even go outside for some practice, weather permitting. Also included will be an overview of all major sky events for the next twelve months. This one-day course focuses specifically on the unaided-eye Baton Rouge sky. Limit thirty registrants. All registrants must be over eighteen; children are not allowed.

Topics that will be covered include…
*major stars and constellations in Baton Rouge
*major lunar features and how to find them
*basic skygazing terminology
*how to distinguish planets from stars
*what meteors, conjunctions and “visible passes” are, and how to see them
*major unaided-eye features of our Milky Way Galaxy
*solar viewing safety, and how to view the Sun without store-bought equipment
*how to darken the sky from your home
*upcoming unaided-eye events
*benefits of belonging to an astronomy club
*actual practice identifying stars, asterisms and constellations (weather permitting)

NOTE: This session will take place only if there are three people registered by Wednesday 29 January (although walk-ins will then be allowed).

1 MARCH: Learn Your Binocular

This class is a hands-on introduction to the operations of your personal binocular. We’ll even take it outside for some practice, weather permitting. Also included will be an overview of all major sky events for the next twelve months. Please bring all parts and accessories belonging to the binocular, including the instruction manual. This one-day course focuses specifically on binocular views of the Baton Rouge sky. Limit twenty households. Limit one binocular per household.

Topics that will be covered include…
*how to operate your binocular
*how to care for your binocular
*major binocular features in the Baton Rouge sky, and how to find them
*how to darken the sky from your home
*upcoming binocular events
*actual practice aiming and focusing on celestial objects (weather permitting)

NOTE: This session will take place only if there are three people registered by Wednesday 26 February (although walk-ins will then be allowed).