Lunar Eclipse on the 8th November - an ideal time to start observing

Celestron StarSense Explorer 5" & 6" DX Bundle offers

Unistellar Citizen Science Network - getting involved in astro research

Is La Niña coming to an end?

Telescope Collimation Workshop @ BINTEL - 5th November 2022

2022 Xmas Telescope & Binocular Buyer's Guide - Part One Beginner's Telescopes online 1st November

Total Lunar Eclipse 8th November - when it's happening and how to view the event.

There's a total Lunar Eclipse on the 8th of November which will be visible across much of eastern Australia.  Photo of Lunar Eclipse back in 2018 taken by David Marriott. The red colours are from light scattering through the Earth's atmosphere. 

There's a total Lunar eclipse happening early in the evening of the 8th of November 2022. 

In Sydney, it starts at 7.19am and finishes at 12.56am the following morning.

For the start and end times at other locations in Australia we suggest you visit timeanddate.com

A Lunar Eclipse is when the Earth's shadow covers the Moon. It's a slow-moving event, taking several hours for the shadow to complete its journey across the surface of the Moon.  Rather than the Moon disappearing completely in the Earth's shadow, it appears a dark reddish colour as it's illuminated by light scattered in our atmosphere.

A Lunar Eclipse is safe to look at and you don't need filters or any other kind of protection. 

The Moon in the Earth's shadow during a Lunar Eclipse.  via timeanddate.com

Blue Mountains Star Gazing west of Sydney is hosting an evening event to view the eclipse.  You can book here.

A Lunar eclipse is a celestial event you can enjoy with your eyes alone.  A pair of binoculars will help, and it will be a spectacular event through a telescope. We'd suggest a beginner's telescope from Meade. 

This 2022 Lunar eclipse might be just the event you need to start your astro journey!

BINTEL Astrophotographer of the year - Entries now open

Reminder that entries for the BINTEL 2022 astrophotographer of the year are now being accepted. 

We've already had some impressive entries submitted.  Many of those entering have taken the time to explain how they took their images, what processing techniques were used and shared hints and tips.  

Plus there's a special category for the 17 years and younger astronomers. 

Submit your entry via the link below.

Celestron StarSense Explorer 5" and 6" DX SCT telescopes - telescope bag worth $249 included free for a limited time

BINTEL feels the Celestron StarSense Explorer 5" and 6" DX SCT telescopes are some of the best telescopes for serious beginners available today.  

The StarSense Explorer technology combines your iPhone or Android phone with a dedicated app to quickly show you where to point your telescope to find astro delights in the night sky.  Type in what you'd like to view - Jupiter, Saturn, Mars or even a deep-sky object - follow the pointer on the phone screen with your telescope and what you want to see will be the telescope's eyepiece.  If you don't know what to look for, Star Sense Explorer will even guide your personal guided tour of the night sky. Like your car's map system except for the Universe!

These two telescopes use the "classic" Celestron SCT telescope design. It's ultra-compact and lightweight and famous for the bright and clear views they produce.

Bonus Offer: For a limited time BINTEL are including for free a Celestron telescope bag worth $249 with each Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 5" SCT or DX 6" SCT telescope. 

Citizen Science Network - get involved in serious science research with Unistellar from BINTEL

One of the things that has impressed us about Unistellar is their involvement in global astronomy and space science.

Programs like these are often referred to as “citizen science” and done in conjunction with working astronomers at NASA, The SETI Institute, IAU Minor Planet Center and many others.  They’re ideal for

• High school STEM programs
• Astronomy clubs
• Individuals keen to contribute to science

Citizen Science programs go beyond using your telescope for observing and astrophotography.  They supply the people, the skills and perspectives to help conduct valuable scientific research. There are simply not enough scientists, astro devices and time to collect and process all the data that exists about our Universe.

This work is especially beneficial for students as it lets them learn investigation and collaboration skills, make connections for the future, and help schools move beyond places of learning to centres of discovery and research.

Some of the members of the Unistellar Network

You can learn more about getting involved in science programs with Unistellar from the link below.

Is the La Niña weather pattern finally coming to an end?

We're sure everyone is getting a bit sick of the constant rain and clouds over much of the eastern parts of Australia caused by the La Niña weather pattern.

While astronomers have been frustrated with the cloud cover, this in no way compares to the damage and distress suffered by those who've lost homes and livelihoods in recent years.  

The good news is that the Bureau of Meteorology has indicated this weather pattern will likely finally finish early next year.  Read more via the link below. That's right - might be time to dust off the telescope gear and start observing again!

BINTEL Telescope Collimation Workshop 5th November 2022

As a reminder, BINTEL are running a collimation workshop on the 5th November. 

Reflector telescope at BINTEL showing the main mirror

A small price to pay for the reflecting telescope's superior value for money compared to refractors is the need for collimation. This straightforward process aligns the two mirrors to ensure images are at their sharpest. 

Don Whiteman, our technical manager, will be running a series of hands-on sessions walking through the collimation process from start to finish.  (Knowing Don, there's likely to be a few tall tales and snippets of "general life advice" along the way as well....)

To keep track of numbers, we're asking folks to let us know if they're attending via the form below. 

Comparison - Benro Polaris Astro mount vs Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer GTi

We don't normally link to YouTube videos in these newsletters, but this one is quite handy.  It's a comparison between the Benro Polaris mount and the Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer GTi mount.  It's a question we're getting asked quite often.

Nico's experiences largely agree with our own, as well as those who've attended our recent Saturday morning workshops at BINTEL.  One major point to note is this video is from the USA where polar alignment is significantly easier than it is for us folks here south of the equator.  Interesting viewing for those thinking about a new compact astrophotography mount. 

Both mounts are currently in-stock at BINTEL and we can offer advice on your best option.

Arriving 1st November- BINTEL Telescope & Binocular buyer's guide - how to get into outer space this Christmas

2022 Marks BINTEL's 40th Christmas season!

Keep an eye on the BINTEL website on the 1st November. We'll be publishing the first part of our 2022 Christmas buyer's guide, focussing on getting that all important first telescope. 

• What to look for when buying a telescope
• BINTEL's favourite beginner's telescopes and binoculars
• Add-on accessories
• Easy explanation of common terms and specs
• Mistakes to avoid

If you are planning on a buying a telescope or pair of binoculars this Christmas, make sure you read this first.

Next issue, yes we're finally going there - just why is NASA seriously investigating unknown objects in the sky? (And does this include Santa?)