Private Telescope
Lessons
Telescopes are a window into our
beautiful Universe!
It’s exciting getting a new telescope!
Have you bought one online, in a local store or second hand from somewhere like Gumtree or eBay?
They’re are certainly magnificent but can also be quite complicated to use for first time owners!
If you’re having trouble figuring it out and want to get started straight away, we offer private telescope lessons in Perth.
You don’t have to be a Stargazers Club WA member to book a private telescope lesson. Prices for private telescope lessons vary depending on the type of telescope you own.
- Click on the images to enlarge
Private Telescope Lesson are perfect if:
- You are having trouble finding anything to see in the night sky or focusing through the eyepiece of the telescope?
There are all sorts of telescope types with different sorts of mounts. Reflector, Refractor, Dobsonian, Schmidt–Cassegrain, Maksutov, equatorial, alt-azimuth and the list goes on…
Don’t worry. You’re not alone! It is confusing. But no matter what you’ve bought, we can help you get the most out of your new telescope with a private telescope lesson. Many first time buyers end up losing heart after a few tries, then pack up their purchase back into its box and put it at the back of the cupboard or garage. It can be disappointing…
- You are having difficulty figuring out how to align your telescope?
Did you decide to go with a manual telescope or one with a go-to tracking computer system?
Maybe you have one that uses a camera to align the telescope with the night sky? This is all another level of complexity that is yet another hurdle for first time users to get over.
Book a Private Telescope Lesson
If any of the above frustrations are sounding familiar, a private telescope lesson is your ticket to a closer encounter with the Universe. A private telescope lesson is perfect if you:
- Need to get started straight away
- Want to fast track your knowledge and use of your telescope
- Are heading away on holiday with your telescope soon
- Can’t wait for one of our BYO Telescope Classes
Private telescope lessons can be done in person if you live in or around Perth. There are also options if you live in the Northam, York and Toodyay areas. Or via Skype if you live further away.
Private Telescope Lessons include
- A general explanation of your telescope – what type it is, its features, strengths and what it’s best used for
- A brief explanation about red lights, laser pointers, planispheres, astronomy almanacs and which smart phone apps are useful for discovering what you can see in the night sky
- Hands-on demonstration of how to set up your telescope
- How to set up and use your telescope’s finder scope (the piece of equipment that sits on top of the telescope tube to make it easy to pinpoint objects in the night sky)
- Tips on other types of finder scopes that can make using your telescope easier
- Hands-on demonstration of how to navigate the menu and use the go-to computer system on your telescope (if it has one) to do an alignment
- A night sky tour using your telescope and the smart phone apps (set up earlier) to see various objects in the night sky
- Finally, you’ll power down or go back to the start so that you can go through the set-up steps again with oversight from your instructor
We’ll include extra handy hints and tips and the answers to all your questions! You’ll leave with a list of astronomical objects to find in the night sky and more confidence than you ever thought possible.
What other events do we hold?
frequently asked questions
Private telescope lessons are held at Kingfisher Park in Ballajura. Lessons are organised on a day that suits you. We start just before sunset so that you’re setting up your telescope in the late afternoon light before working your telescope to look at objects in the early evening night sky.
You’re welcome to bring family or friends along to make a stargazing night of it. You’ll be able to impress them with your new skills!
We prefer to give private telescope lessons when the weather is clear. It’s easy to rearrange dates if it’s cloudy or rainy. There are no cancellation fees if you need ta cancel a private telescope lesson.
Mark Davies from Earthside Astronomy usually takes our private lessons. Mark is great and has a terrific knowledge of all telescopes. He’ll go through all the set up and use of the telescope plus also some introductory stargazing tips. Meet Mark on our Team page.
Lessons can be done over the internet using Skype if you don’t live in or around the Perth area. We’ve held one successful private lesson via Skype recently and are keen to offer this to others who may not be able to make a lesson in person.
“For eager beginners like me, it was a breakthrough to go from being interest but confused to excited and equipped with the tools to explore!” Evan (Private Telescope Lesson via Skype)
Private Telescope Lessons are also available in the Northam, York and Toodyay area. An amateur astronomy guide living in the area is available to help new telescope owners get started.
Some models of telescopes need more lesson time than others. Tell us what type of telescope you own and we’ll get you a price…
Please contact us for a price!
Yes! Telescope Lessons are a great way for children to learn. Lessons are recommended for children aged 10-16 years, however younger children are also welcome.
It’s your private telescope lesson and friends and family are always welcome.
Private telescope lessons are a bit more expensive than our Telescope Classes.
If you’d prefer a telescope class instead, head over to our Events page to see when the next one is. Find out more about our Telescope Classes.
All our amateur astronomy guides have extensive experience with a large range of telescopes including Celestron, Meade, Sky-Watcher, Tasco, Australian Geographic, Bushnell and many more. They are very familiar with alt-azimuth and EQ mounts. They’ll be able to explain a lot about telescope accessories such as finder scopes, filters and dew control.
The great thing about our team is that we are all friendly and welcoming people. There’s no better place to be if you’re beginning an astronomy hobby.
You’re in good hands with Stargazers Club WA.
In a single evening you’ll gain the confidence to set up and use your telescope to see lots of different things in the night sky.
