Solar Filters for cameras and telescopes - Thousand Oaks arriving @ BINTEL

Unistellar eQuinox - now with free backpack/carry case worth $799

Binocular suggestion for viewing Comet C/2022 (ZTF) - Celestron SkyMaster 12x60 for $175

New Telescope from Santa? - get even better views with the Celestron Eyepiece and accessory kit

Astronomy Buy and Sell  - now on BINTEL's Discord Server

In the Sky this week - the closest New Moon since the Middle Ages!

Image of Mars from the other night posted by Chris Wilkie to the BINTEL Society Facebook group. Chris use a Celestron C11 and a ZWO ASI2600MC camera. There's plenty of surface detail visible in this image!

Solar Filters for your telescope and camera- Thousand Oaks @ BINTEL 

There's a huge interest in Solar Filters with the Ningaloo Solar Eclipse happening soon on the 20th of April. (We covered this in detail last week, but if you missed it you can read the full article here.)

BINTEL is expanding its range of Solar Filters with the arrival of Thousands Oaks filters in the coming week or so. 

These attach to the front end of your telescope or camera lens and provide excellent protection from the intensity of our nearest star and provide unlimited viewing or imaging of the Sun.

They're not only ideal for capturing the upcoming Solar Eclipse but also perfect for viewing or imaging the Sun during the day.  The number of Sunspots is increasing as we come out of "Solar Minimum" and the Sun is becoming more active. 

Unistellar eVscope eQuinox - now with free backpack worth $799

We're now offering the remarkable Unistellar eVscope eQuinox computerised astrophotography system with a free Unistellar backpack/carry case worth $799.

This telescope is completely controlled by your phone, tablet or PC and lets you take stunning images of the night sky. Unistellar also have a worldwide network of astronomers carrying our citizen science projects using their telescopes and producing some great results looking at exoplanets, comets and more.  You can read about the Unistellar Network here or learn more about the Unistellar eQuinox from the link below.

Binoculars for Comet watching -in February - Celestron SkyMaster 

Thanks for the positive feedback from our article the other week about Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF).  This will be visible in our Australian and Kiwi skies next month.

To answer a common question, we're still not sure if the comet will be visible with just your eyes even under very dark skies away from city or suburban lights.  Even if it brightens so it can be seen without any optical aid, it will not be an impressive sight - simply an indefinite, faint smudge.

BUT - Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) is shaping up to be a great sight in binoculars.  

You can use almost any binoculars for viewing Comet C/2022 (ZTF). You don't need special astronomy binoculars to view it. 

If you don't have a pair, then the Celestron SkyMaster 12x60 are large aperture binoculars that are phenomenal value at $175.  They're high-performance binoculars ideal for astronomical viewing or for terrestrial (land) use – especially over long distance.

If you'd like a slightly larger pair, BINTEL also have in stock the Celestron SkyMaster 15x70 size for $199. Larger binoculars like larger telescopes will produce a brighter and clearer view. 

New Telescope for Christmas? - Expand your views with a Celestron Eyepiece and Accessory kit

If you've just received a telescope from Santa and want a wider selection of magnifications and some filters, we'd suggest the Celestron Eyepiece and Filter Kit.

This kit includes five additional eyepieces of various sizes and a Barlow lens along with additional coloured filters for planetary viewing plus a Moon filter. 

It comes in a lockable aluminium case with spare places for the eyepieces that came with your telescope.  A highly recommended upgrade.

Astronomy/Optical Gear Buy and Sell - Now on BINTEL's Discord Server

We're asked every day about the best place to buy or sell second hand telescopes, mounts and accessories.  To help folks out, we've added a Buy and Sell section to the BINTEL Discord Server.

The growing BINTEL Discord Server is used regularly by hundreds of people and one advantage it has over normal media channels is that posts are seen by all members of the community. 

Please note that BINTEL does not buy or sell second hand equipment and is in no way involved in the transactions - it's simply another way to connect.

In the Sky this week - the closest New Moon since the Middle Ages

Via timeanddate.com

You might have heard some Full Moons called "Super Moons" in the media. This is when the Earth and Moon are closer together than other Full Moons and it appears (slightly) larger in the night sky. 

The New Moon this week will be the closest one to Earth since 992!  The distance between the Earth and the Moon varies during the Moon's orbit around us as with all celestial orbits, it's not circular. Rather, the path it takes follow an ellipse which is more oval shaped. 

Variations with the distance with the Sun as well due to the same reason adds to the complexities.  A Full Moon is when we see the entire disk of the Moon lit up by the Sun during our night. In other words, it's "day" across the entire disk. 

A New Moon is when it's in our sky during the day and "night" across the side of the Moon we can see.  Head outside this weekend during the day.  You won't be able to see the Moon in the sunlit sky, but it will there and closer to us than anytime since CMXCII. 

Next time...more Celestron binocular offers for summer and our updated Comet C/2022 (ZTF) viewing guide.