An important part of my monasticism is the regular observation and appreciation of nature. I’ve invested in a microscope and a telescope to help open my eyes a little wider to this world.
I’ve always wanted a nice telescope. I took several astronomy classes in undergrad, and my first, temporary job after my PhD was doing planetarium shows at a small science center in Pullman, WA. Every show that was programmed strictly was derailed by some kid interested in black holes who had a long list of questions. I developed a nice file of projectable and informative black hole images, and a program to supplement. At the beginning of each show, I’d ask if they’d prefer the black hole show or the scheduled program. Often, they chose black holes, so I got good at that presentation.
I finally landed a nice telescope. I picked a 9.25″ Celestron Evolution. And while his toenail heals up, my dog Möbius is testing our low-budget Radio Telescope, shown in the image above. He can’t seem to get it to work. Lord Byron and Odin care little for these lofty endeavors when there are cross country skiers to bark at.
The new scope should be adequate to see some deep space objects, and see the planets well, too. Now, I’ve got the itch to build and observatory! It never ends.