Join
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Telescope Loan and Consultation Program
We've recently expanded our collection of telescopes available for members to borrow! You can meet with us at the Observatory to go over the available telescopes, decide which is best for you, and show you how to use it! We also offer consultations if you want to know more about a telescope you have, or advice for buying one of your own.
We are available for appointments Tuesdays 5PM to 10PM and select Saturdays 12PM to 4PM. Other times may be available by request. Not sure how long your appointment should be? See below for a quick reference, or feel free to contact us to ask if you aren't sure:
- If you are only planning on loaning out a telescope from us, plan on your session being 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Most consultations will take about 1 hour, and this is the standard appointment time. This is where you bring your own telescope or telescopes for us to go over with you. We will discuss setup and teardown, maintenance, and locating objects with your telescope.
- Appointments can be shortened to 30 minutes if you prefer to meet with us for advice on what telescopes or equipment to invest in. These appointments should not include demonstrations on how to use equipment unless you also want to loan a telescope out afterwards.
- A two-hour appointment may be helpful if the telescope you are bringing is very large (12+ inches in diameter) or if you also have dedicated camera equipment you plan on using with the telescope.
To request a day and time, please submit 3-4 dates and times to eric@cincinnatiobservatory.
