Prime Focus January 2001

PHOTO CAPTION>

Although the spectacular colors of the Butterfly Nebula (see the TVS website) have been enhanced to represent different gaseous densities, this remarkable planetary is quite distinctive even in black and white. Also known as M2-9, this object centers on a binary system spinning within a gaseous disk that is ten times wider than the orbit of Pluto. The Butterfly's bipolar appearance is caused by erupting layers of gas and stellar material. (NASA/HST and B. Balick, et al., University of Washington)

TVS Presents

   Mike Rushford, with the assistance of  Chuck Grant, will introduce new scope owners to topics found in All about Telescopes, by Sam Brown. The evening is intended to help anyone fortunate enough to have received a new telescope or pair of binoculars during the holidays.

   Mike and Chuck will lead an interactive discussion on various telescope designs. They will explain how telescopes work, proper instrument care, and basic alignment techniques for all scope designs. The TVS video on telescope collimation, created by Rich Combs and Alan Gorski will also be part of the evening's program. If you have questions about what your scope can and cannot do, how to build a beginner scope, or how to modify or improve your existing observing equipment, plan to join us on January 12. Remember, this is a revised date, and differs from the one announced in December. As always, visitors are most welcome.

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