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If you consider yourself an amateur astronomer, or just want to spend some time stargazing, but don’t own your own telescope, we’ve got some good news for you! Thanks to a donation from local non-profit Astronomers of Humboldt (AOH), you can now check out a telescope from the Arcata Library and it is completely free!

Actually, you have been able to check out a telescope from the library for some time now. About a year ago, AOH donated an Orion Starblast 4.5-inch telescope to the library and the item has been so popular that there is usually a several-month-long waitlist of people trying to get their hands on the ‘scope. So, many people will be excited to learn that  just last week the group donated a second Orion Starblast that will, hopefully, make the wait time a little shorter.

“The library has been very enthusiastic about this,” Brent Howatt, president of AOH, said in a phone interview with the Outpost. “[The telescope] seems to be very popular in Arcata, which is great.” 

Howatt said that the second telescope was given to the group by the Astronomical League – an umbrella organization of different  amateur astronomy clubs and societies across the country. Every year at the Astronomical League’s convention, several groups are selected to receive a free telescope to donate to their local libraries as a part of the organization’s Library Telescope Program . After many years of not being selected for the program, Howatt said, the AOH members decided to purchase a telescope themselves and donate it to the Humboldt County Library, which handed it down to the Arcata branch. This year the group was finally selected to receive a telescope, so now the Arcata Library is lucky enough to have two lenders in its collection. 

Checking out the telescope from the library works almost exactly like checking out a book. All you need is a library card (and if you don’t have one, you can get one for free just by showing a photo I.D. and proof of residency in Humboldt.) Because the telescopes are in high demand, you will need to call the library to put your name on the waiting list and the library will contact you when it’s your turn. After swiping your card, you can borrow the equipment for up to two weeks. Howatt says that the telescopes are small and easy to use, and AOH even made a couple modifications to make them more “user-friendly.” The telescope also comes with instructions for use and sky charts, with suggestions of what to look for in the sky. 

Flyer for the telescope at the library

The library staff has also been trained on how to use the telescope and will go through the details of proper care and safety with you at the counter. Susan Parsons of the Arcata Library told the Outpost that, because this is special equipment, there is a contract that you have to sign before checking out the telescope that shows you understand the care and safety protocols, including that you you will be charged for the equipment if it is lost or broken (each telescope is valued at about $500), that you will secure the telescope with a seatbelt when driving and – most importantly – that you will not point the telescope directly at the sun! 

Yeah, it seems like something you wouldn’t need to specify, but the library does not want to take any chances. “The borrower agrees never to look directly at the sun through the telescope or its finder scope,” the borrower contract states. “It is understood that permanent eye damage could result.” 

But as long as you promise to take good care of the equipment and promise not to do something incredibly stupid like stare directly at the sun, then you are free to use the telescope as you wish! Howatt said that, if we can get a clear night, it is a great time to look at Venus and Mars, which are both very bright right now. Jupiter and Saturn can also be viewed to the east, in the very early morning before sunrise. 

If you are an astronomy enthusiast, Howatt said that AOH is always accepting new members (you can fill out an application here). Anyone can also attend the club’s observing sessions, which are held at the Kneeland Airport each month on the Saturday closest to the new moon. The next meet is this Saturday, June 17 after sunset (8:49 p.m.) and Howatt is really hopeful that there will be clear skies. And if you can’t make it to one of the gatherings, then just call up the library at (707) 822-5954 to reserve one of the telescopes.

“Check out the telescope!” Howatt said. “It’s worked really well and we’ve had no issues so far. It seems to be being used as we intended it, for people to help educate their kids or to further their own interest in astronomy.”