Sky Sweeping with Your Eyes, Binoculars, and a Small Telescope

When you've grown to be all too familiar with the sky that you already know where to look in order to find an object, it sometimes get's to be tiresome when you see the same sights over and over. But the fact is that you can literally have a lot of things to see while stargazing. In spite of how the sky appears to be unchanging beyond the shifts of the seasons, it is really full of surprises.

Naked-eye stargazing is one activity where you can experience how the universe, or particularly the night sky, reveals some random events. Meteor showers, for instance, while predictable, actually provide a number of oohs and aahs when you happen to witness some unique displays like bolides or large meteors.

With the use of binoculars, you can even see more detail when it comes to certain areas of the sky, like that occupied by Orion the Hunter. With a pair of handy binoculars, you'll be able to sweep the sky with your eyes, focusing on a few things that cross your field of view. However, with the use of a small telescope on a tripod, the experience is considerable different compared to when using just your naked eyes or binoculars.

With a sturdy tripod, your small telescope can be an exciting tool into a space adventure. Lots of things are happening out there in space. It's not farfetched that while slowly sweeping the sky with your telescope on a tripod, an artificial satellite might suddenly cross your view. You have to be quick to follow it because it will be quick to pass. It may dim and brighten at regular intervals as it rotates, reflecting the sun at different angles.

There are many other things that can surprise you when sky sweeping. Sometimes, if you can't tell what it is, then it may qualify as unidentified, but it would likely not be an alien.

In the seventies, scientists put their heads together to come up with a design for a space station, and the result is the Pilgrim Observer. The round aft is classic! Order your NASA Pilgrim Observer Space Station model kit by clicking here or on the image.