Orion Store
Shopping Cart
0 item(s)

0-800-041-8146
Availability Details

  • Telescopes
  • Mounts & Tripods
  • Accessories
  • Astrophotography
  • Binoculars
  • Sale
  • Gift Center
  • Resources

    • Please Note

    Orion has made the difficult decision to close our warehouse facility in the Netherlands. With the continuing supply chain/logistics challenges and slowness in the economy we have found that it is not economically feasible to maintain operations in the UK and Europe.

    We have therefore stopped taking orders on this website. We apologize for any inconvenience.

    We will continue to have Orion dealers in Europe to meet the needs of Orion consumers. We will also continue to honor the 30-Day product return period as well as honoring the Orion warranty for purchases made in the UK and Europe.

    Our US-based Customer Service Representatives are here to help. Contact them via email at support@telescope.com or in the United Kingdom, via phone at 0-800-041-8146 (Monday-Friday between the hours of 1300 and 2400 GMT).

    {"closeOnBackgroundClick":true,"bindings":{"bind0":{"fn":"function(){$.fnProxy(arguments,\'#headerOverlay\',OverlayWidget.show,\'OverlayWidget.show\');}","type":"quicklookselected","element":".ql-thumbnail .Quicklook .trigger"}},"effectOnShowSpeed":"1200","dragByBody":false,"dragByHandle":true,"effectOnHide":"fade","effectOnShow":"fade","cssSelector":"ql-thumbnail","effectOnHideSpeed":"1200","allowOffScreenOverlay":false,"effectOnShowOptions":"{}","effectOnHideOptions":"{}","widgetClass":"OverlayWidget","captureClicks":true,"onScreenPadding":10}

    {"ensembleSEOTranslationTypes":"ensemble","widgetClass":"BreadcrumbWidget","productSEOTranslationTypes":"product","categorySEOTranslationTypes":"category|communitySection,communityCategory,communityThumbnail","delimText":"","isCommunity":"true","catalogSEOTranslationTypes":"catalog","showCatalog":false}

    Home
     
    Articles
     
    Contest Entries
     
    Orion's Astronomy Essay Contest (2009)
     
    A New Moon Surprise
     2 of 30 
    A New Moon Surprise
    A New Moon Surprise

    My wife and I have friends in the country and we've taken my SkyQuest XT8 Classic over before to show them how much fun stargazing can be. The first time I took the ol' light bucket over, I treated them to the rings of Saturn. This has to be my favorite thing to show people because it always elicits gasps of surprise and excitement. I always get the same reaction. They say, "I can't believe I'm seeing this with my own eyes!" Anyway, one Saturday we were invited over for a cookout, and I checked out the sky charts to see if anything cool was happening. I saw that Mercury was going to be at greatest elongation and decided that would be the evening's target. After all, most people who have seen Mercury, probably didn't think it was anything other than another star. I decided against taking the dob because it was mostly cloudy all day, but took along my 9x63 Mini Giant binoculars. As the sun went down, I kept checking the western sky and finally, a slot opened between the clouds and the horizon. I knew the timing would be critical because Mercury doesn't stay visible very long. I scanned the horizon where I thought the small planet would be, and suddenly, I saw it. No, it wasn't Mercury, but the thinnest sliver of a crescent Moon that I've ever seen! Now I regretted my decision to leave the telescope at home. If I'd brought it along with my camera mount, I could have had a sweet picture. Oh well, hindsight and all that. I called my wife and friends out to have a look. Everyone took a turn at the binoculars and each person oohed and aahed in amazement of the sight they beheld. I have always tried spotting the youngest and oldest Moons possible, and many times I'd be driving to or from work alone when I'd see it with no way of sharing it with anyone. This time however, there were five others with me and I was loving it! As you know, one of the biggest joys of stargazing is the sharing. Not only was this the youngest Moon I'd personally seen, but everyone with me agreed, this was one of the coolest things they'd ever seen. By this time, the slot between clouds and earth was big enough that Mercury was now easy to spot. It was satisfying to me that tonight's main target had been found. Everyone took their turn with the 9x63's again and were totally underwhelmed after seeing the thin Moon. After checking the time of the New Moon, I determined that it was only 21 hours old. Not too bad for being only about 15 miles west of Baltimore.

     

    Details
    Date Taken: 08/28/2014
    Author: Dean W
    Category: Orion's Astronomy Essay Contest (2009)

    Astro-images taken through a telescope on a tracking mount provide breathtaking color and detail that you just can't see with your eyes alone. The astro-images on our web site demonstrate the imaging capabilities of the products used and are not intended to represent what you will see when you look through a telescope. Learn More

    Some materials in our Resource Center require Adobe Reader. Download Adobe Reader here. Adobe Flash Player may be required to view some content. Download the Flash Player here.

    {"closeOnBackgroundClick":true,"bindings":{"bind1":{"fn":"function(event, startIndex, itemCount, newItems) { QuickLookWidget.assignEvents(newItems); $(\".Quicklook > .trigger\", newItems).bind(\"quicklookselected\", function(event, source, x, y) { OverlayWidget.show(\'#_widget243852227005\', event, source, x, y); }); }","type":"itemsloaded","element":".PagedDataSetFilmstripLoader > .trigger"},"bind0":{"fn":"function(){$.fnProxy(arguments,\'#_widget243852227005\',OverlayWidget.show,\'OverlayWidget.show\');}","type":"quicklookselected","element":".Quicklook > .trigger"}},"effectOnShowSpeed":"","dragByBody":false,"dragByHandle":true,"effectOnHide":"fade","effectOnShow":"fade","cssSelector":"ql-category","effectOnHideSpeed":"1200","allowOffScreenOverlay":false,"effectOnShowOptions":"{}","effectOnHideOptions":"{}","widgetClass":"OverlayWidget","captureClicks":true,"onScreenPadding":10}

    Payment Options
    Since 1975

    Why Buy From Orion

    • 30 Day Money Back Guarantee
    • Safe & Secure Shopping
    • Next Day Shipping
    • Easy Returns
    • Sale Price Guarantee
    • Free Technical Support
    More Information
    Shop Our Catalogs

    Shop Our Catalog

    Check out our colorful
    catalog, filled with hundreds
    of quality products.

    See the eCatalog

    About Orion Telescopes & Binoculars

    Since 1975 Orion Telescopes & Binoculars has been offering telescopes for sale direct to customers. Now an employee-owned company, we pride ourselves on an unswerving commitment to best quality products, value and unmatched customer care. Our 100% satisfaction guarantee says it all.

    Orion offers telescopes for every level: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. From our entry-level beginner telescopes for amateur astronomers to our Dobsonian telescopes to our most advanced Cassegrain telescopes and accessories, you can find the best telescope for you. Because we sell direct, we can offer you tremendous value at a great price.

    Orion binoculars are known for quality optics at a great price. We offer binoculars for every viewing interest, including astronomical binoculars, compact binoculars, waterproof binoculars, birding binoculars, and sport and hunting binoculars.

    Orion's telescope and astrophotography accessories will enhance your telescope enjoyment without breaking the bank. Expand your viewing experience with accessories ranging from moon filters to power-boosting Barlow lenses to advanced computerized telescope mounts. Capture breathtaking photos with our affordable astrophotography cameras. And when you're stargazing, Orion's telescope cases and covers, observing gear, red LED flashlights, astronomy books and star charts will make your observing sessions more convenient, comfortable and meaningful.