Help the visitors at your telescope understand why they see what they see. This is a great activity to perform before sunset, when telescopes may be set up but the skies are not yet dark enough to observe.

This activity can help prepare your visitors to make the most of their telescope time by engaging them with the following:

1. How our eyes work
2. Direct vs averted vision
3. Tips on using averted vision to see more detail, especially of fainter objects
4. Setting expectations around observing through the eyepiece 

The activity includes answers to common questions and a handy card that helps demonstrate differences between the fields of view between different types of telescopes, including your own. The Magnification vs Resolution activity pairs well with this activity for a general overview of common telescope-specific observing questions.

Uploaded: August 2009