It is said that “binoculars are halfway to a telescope” for observing
the night sky. Not only this, but they are easier to use than a
telescope and far less than half the cost. So, binoculars make the
ideal “first scope” for someone newly interested in amateur
astronomy.
So, which binoculars should you buy?
First of all, [...]

(originally posted at http://www.bautforum.com)
Ok–Cells on Earth-based life are deformed spheres (genus 0, i.e. no “holes” like a donut). That seems reasonable, as I figure it is easier for a spherical cell to form randomly than anything more complex. A spherical cell might have evolved when, for some reason, self-replicating molecules got other molecules attached to [...]

The 2007 Mason Dixon Star Party was held on the grass runway and taxiway of the Shreveport North Airport near Wellsville, PA (near York and Harrisburg) from Wednesday, July 11, through Sunday, July 15. Given the dismal weather report for Wednesday, I showed up and set up my tent and scope Thursday, stayed two [...]

in West Virginia last night.
(Originally posted on the Howard Astronomical League’s newsgroup May 7, 2007)
The Milky Way wasn’t very visible, as
it is low in the sky to the West this time of year, but I could see
the “marble” in binoculars. I went out to my uncle’s hayfield,
braving the smell of freshly-scattered fertilizer, to avoid [...]

This link is both to an observation of Sadr, AKA Gamma Cygni, from tonight, and to an image from Starry Night software for comparisson.  This is a particularly good area for binoculars, being in the milky way.  Sadr has always been a favorite of mine for binocular observation.  It is also good for testing the [...]

Here is observation #50.  I have now submitted my Binocular Messier list for approval for the Binocular Messier Certificate.

I added five objects to my Binocular Messier list.  All were low in the southwestern sky, soon to be out of season.  This means I have 49 of the 50 I need.  I tried to get one more…just one more.  But I was unable to detect M30 (I realize now I looked in the wrong [...]

Tonight, having finished the long drive home from Niagara Falls, slowly I turned to the sky to see that it was clearer than has been usual this late summer.  It is the time of year that two objects I had yet to add to my Binocular Messier list were well placed in the sky, just [...]

The weather has not cooperated for a while, and even tonight it wasn’t so great–look how late I stayed up looking for reasonable observing, though not great observing.  I have yet to try the new eyepiece for attaching my camera to my scope, but did binocular observations instead.  I re-did M42 and M45, and added [...]

The Milky Way was even visible.  I added two observations to the Binocular Messier list–8 to go!