FEATURED: Spokane INLANDER © 2023
With help from local experts, you can explore the great beyond without straying far from home
Around here, casual stargazers can catch plenty of astral events from the comfort of their own backyard, or by traveling less than an hour from city limits.
"There are a ton of places near Spokane and in North Idaho that are great for stargazing without any major equipment," says Kelly Guzman, founder of the North Idaho Astronomy Club. "North Spokane is pretty dark because it's just far enough away from all of the major light pollution. Cheney also fits into that."
As long as you don't live in the heart of downtown Spokane, stargazing is an easy hobby to take up. Step out into your backyard or onto your balcony and look up. Chances are you'll be able to see many constellations, planets and satellites as they come into view — if the sky is clear.
"Spokane and surrounding areas get about 170 days of clouds a year," Guzman says. "If you're hoping to start, now is the ideal time as astronomy is primarily a spring and summer activity. The most accessible events are meteor showers. They occur every year and you don't need a lot, or any, equipment to enjoy them. You shouldn't have to break the bank to enjoy astral events."
events
Upcoming
Join the North Idaho Astronomy Club for our meeting on June 09, 2023, from 5 PM to 5:45 PM at 821 N Spokane St in Post Falls, ID 83854. This event is open to the public, and you can contact us for any questions via call or text at (208) 518-8816. Feel free to comment or suggest future starparty locations here:
North Idaho Astronomy Club Facebook Page
About Us
Purpose
The North Idaho Astronomy Club is a nonprofit organization that was established in 2019 and officially registered with the state of Idaho in 2021. Our main goal is to encourage and enhance our understanding of the universe. As an organization, we maintain a good reputation with the state of Idaho and we have a strict policy of not sharing or selling personal information. You can find more information about us at https://sosbiz.idaho.gov/, under File # (4533941) for our Unincorporated Nonprofit Association (D).
Telescope Giveaway Raffle Entry Qualifying:
Please email your favorite celestial object assignment or paper to JaneBond@northidahoastronomyclub.org. Or write a short essay (about 500 words) on what is the most striking for you in our northern hemisphere sky. What previous astronomy events or classes have you attended? And how do you plan to use the 10" Meade LDX75 to educate your community regarding astronomy? Each entry must qualify with a point value of 15 points or more to enter the raffle. Essays scored must be complete with celestial body correctness, previous astronomy event participation, and how you plan to educate your community with the raffled telescope. Each essay entry must qualify with a point value of 15 points or more to enter the raffle with 30 points being the highest mark.
!deal candidates are our younger generation and beginners. One entry per household. No Astrophysicists, please! Raffle to be held by the end of summer 2023.
ACTIVITIES ENTERED FOR A CHANCE TO SUBMIT YOUR ESSAY:
Photo Challenge: Local participants may enter the 10" MEADE refractor telescope (refurbished) giveaway raffle. Participation and restrictions apply*
https://www.facebook.com/NorthIdahoAstronomyClub/
The newest in telescope technology -NO EYE PIECE!
Smartphones have become a way of life for most of us. And Unistellar has figured out a way to bypass the telescope's eyepiece. That's right. No more awkward focusing, lens swaps, or eyesight alignments. Your smartphone can now do most of this for you with the eQuinox 2. Today, many stargazers use their smartphones in conjunction with their telescope to capture celestial objects. It's no surprise electronic companies have picked up on this and implemented smartphones into your night sky viewing -all in one package. Click on any link within this article to catch a glimpse of this new technology. I myself have been eyeballing this new telescope and what it has to offer. And, please keep in mind, I do not receive commissions for posting the eQuinox 2. I'm simply sharing what I think may make things easier for beginners and make life a whole lot simpler for those of us who have been swapping out lenses and conducting sight alignments for decades. The eQuinox 2 is a pre-order item and comes with a warranty, free shipping and you have a 30-day free trial option. I have one last sight-unseen review for this telescope, astrophotography just got a whole lot easier! I doubt smartphone cameras have the resolution of a ZWO camera or DSLR, although smartphone lens attachments can be quite powerful. I imagine we're not too far away from ultra-high-resolution smartphone imaging. Thank you for reading and feel free to reach out if you have questions or comments. JaneBond@northidahoastronomyclub.net.
Take Flight
Live coverage of the Axiom Mission 1 launch on Crew Dragon Endeavour to the International Space Station:
What is Axiom Mission 1?
See safe link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axiom_Mission_1
Live feed:
TAKING FLIGHT
The 24th Annual International Mars Society Convention
The Mars Society is pleased to announce that the 24th Annual International Mars Society Convention will be convened Thursday-Sunday, October 14-17, 2021, all over the world via the Internet! The International Mars Society Convention presents a unique opportunity for those interested in the planet Mars to come together and discuss the science, technology, social implications, philosophy and a multitude of other aspects of Mars exploration.
Test out your astronaut skills
SPACEX ISS Docking Simulator
This simulator will familiarize you with the controls of the actual interface used by NASA Astronauts to manually pilot the SpaceX Dragon 2.
THE ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE
Member At Large
The Astronomical Leagues objective is to promote the science of astronomy
· by fostering astronomical education'
· by providing incentives for astronomical observation and research;
· by assisting communication among amateur astronomical societies.
all your planetarium needs
Stellarium
Stellarium is a free open source planetarium for your computer. It shows a realistic sky in 3D, just like what you see with the naked eye, binoculars or a telescope. Web, Windows, Mac, Linux, Android & iPhone.
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