The advent of smart telescopes has revolutionized amateur astronomy, making the wonders of the universe more accessible to everyone. Smart telescopes automatically take and stack images, making the intricate process of capturing the celestial grandeur of the night sky far more accessible to enthusiasts. Gone are the days when a smart telescope required a hefty investment of thousands of dollars. Recent innovations have brought us marvels like the ZWO Seestar S50 and Dwarf II smart telescope, available for under $1000 CAD. These devices, while more limited than their pricier counterparts such as the Unistellar eVscope, provide a solid user-friendly introduction to astrophotography. With the upcoming solar eclipse on April 8, 2024 I recently took the plunge and acquired the Seestar S50 to fill gaps in and expand my observational capabilities. This piece of technology not only complements my existing equipment but also opens new doors to the universe's mysteries. Before delving into this smart telescope, it's crucial for anyone considering a telescope to reflect on how they wish to engage with the night sky. Whether it's star hopping, deep-sky viewing, or planet gazing, the right equipment can significantly enhance your experience. My arsenal includes a Celestron Regal M2 100ED spotting scope and Orion 2x54 Ultra Wide Angle Binoculars. Both are ultraportable and serve a unique purpose. The spotting scope is great for star hopping and viewing the planets. The binoculars (aka constellation binoculars) provide a 36 degree field of view that fully encompasses a constellation and allows you to see about 1.2 magnitudes fainter than you can with the naked eye. This has come in handy at star parties, where I used them to identify locations to set up telescopes for public outreach before the stars and planets were visible to the naked eye. They also provide a more ‘dark sky’ experience in areas with light pollution by enabling viewing of fainter magnitudes. These tools have been invaluable in my stargazing adventures, from casual walks under the stars to camping in beautiful parks to educational sessions at star parties. The Seestar S50 Smart Telescope: A New PerspectiveThe Seestar S50 promises to broaden my view of the cosmos with its ability to capture images of the sun and deep-sky objects such as galaxies and nebulae in a user-friendly and portable package. It boasts a 50mm apochromatic lens, a 250mm focal length, and utilizes a high-quality Sony sensor to capture the cosmos in decent detail. 1. Seestar case. 2. Inside the Seestar case. 3. Seestar S50 telescope set up on tripod with charging cable and solar filter. Simplicity and UsabilityThe Seestar S50 is celebrated for its straightforward setup and portability, making it an ideal choice for astronomers of all levels. Setting it up is a breeze—just mount it on the tripod, turn it on, sync it with the app, and you're ready to explore the night sky. This ease of use extends to the app, which guides you through selecting and capturing celestial wonders. Thanks to its compact design, the Seestar S50 can easily accompany you on your adventures, from casual backyard observations to star parties to explorations under the dark skies of remote locations. This portability and convenience makes the Seestar S50 a perfect match for my Celestron Regal M2, allowing for a comprehensive observational experience where deep-sky imaging with the Seestar S50 complements serendipitous explorations with the Celestron Regal M2. 1. Screenshot of the Seestar app acquiring and stacking images of the Orion Nebula. 2. Screenshot of the Seestar app targeting and going to M35. 3. Screenshot of the Seestar app acquiring and stacking images of NGC 869. First Light: Challenges and TriumphsMy initial outing with the Seestar S50 had a minor learning curve. Calibrating the telescope required a delicate balance, quite literally, as I discovered the importance of smooth rotation of the telescope while connected to the tripod. I had initially aimed to keep the telescope level when rotating, but this led to bumps and jolts due to surface friction as the tripod's legs brushed against the surface it was placed on. This minor hiccup aside, the telescope soon proved its worth, effortlessly tracking celestial wonders from the Sun to the Triangulum Galaxy. Despite urban light pollution and a bright moon, the images I captured, including the Orion Nebula and the Double Cluster in Perseus, were a testament to the telescope's capabilities. 1. Sol (Our Sun) 2. Orion Nebula (M42) 3. 75 Tauri (Orange-Hued Aging Giant Star) 4. M35 (Open Cluster) 5. Double Cluster in Perseus (NGC 869 and NGC 884) 6. Triangulum Galaxy (M33) Public Outreach and ValueThe Seestar S50's value extends beyond personal exploration to public outreach. As highlighted in Urban Astrophotography, this smart telescope is an excellent tool for educational initiatives, bringing the night sky closer to the community and sparking interest in astronomy among people of all ages. Looking AheadMy journey with the Seestar S50 is just beginning. I eagerly anticipate further tests and adventures, especially from dark sky sites and with longer sessions, where the true potential of this telescope can be unleashed. A Note to My ReadersLife has been growing busier, so I am shifting to a biweekly blogging schedule. Mark your calendars for my next post on February 21, 2024.
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Enhancing Public Library Services for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness: A Deep Dive Series6/12/2023 Generated with DALL·E. Welcome back to my blog! This week, I'm excited to announce a new series that dives deep into a critical and increasingly relevant topic for public libraries: improving our approach to serving patrons experiencing homelessness. Did you know that over 235,000 people in Canada experience homelessness in any given year, with 25,000+ on any given night? This striking fact, reported in Statistics Canada's review of Canadian homelessness data, underlines the scale of the challenge and highlights the significant number of unhoused individuals who might seek refuge and services in public libraries. As libraries continue to evolve, enhancing our inclusivity remains a core part of our mission, with a focus on ensuring that patrons experiencing homelessness receive equitable service alongside all other community members. Over the next six weeks, I'll share detailed insights, practical strategies, and examples to support this inclusive and supportive environment for all. This comprehensive series is designed to deepen our understanding and enhance library services for some of the most vulnerable members of our community. Join me on this enlightening journey, starting next week with an exploration into the complex nature of homelessness and how we can better respond to it in the library setting. Week One: Understanding HomelessnessThe first post in the series will unravel the multifaceted nature of homelessness. I'll discuss root causes, debunk common myths, and share insights into the everyday realities faced by individuals without stable housing. As librarians, gaining a clear understanding is pivotal in effectively supporting and serving patrons experiencing homelessness. This upcoming post will provide practical tips, practices, and actions tailored for the library environment, all aimed at enhancing our understanding of the challenges faced by individuals experiencing homelessness and improving our interactions with them. By arming ourselves with this knowledge, we set the stage for creating a more inclusive, empathetic, and supportive environment for all patrons, while also building the confidence of our staff. Photo by Pixabay from Pexels. Week Two: Empathy in Library ServicesEmpathy is at the heart of our service and is especially crucial when serving vulnerable populations. In the second week, I’ll share methods for fostering an environment of understanding and respect, highlighting the importance of trauma-informed care and empathetic communication. This approach not only aids in making libraries more inclusive, but also contributes to a calmer and safer atmosphere for all who use library services. Week Three: Practical Tools and StrategiesMeeting the needs of patrons experiencing homelessness requires specific approaches. Week three will cover various strategies, from policy adaptations to creating safe and respectful spaces within the library, providing staff with the tools they need to serve all patrons effectively. These strategies are crucial in ensuring that our libraries serve as inclusive environments where every member of the community feels welcome. Week Four: De-Escalation TechniquesConflict can arise in any public space, and libraries are no exception. Week four will focus on maintaining a peaceful and respectful library environment. I'll introduce de-escalation techniques tailored to the unique challenges that may arise with patrons experiencing homelessness. These techniques will help staff maintain calm and control in challenging situations, contributing to a safer and more harmonious library environment. Week Five: Empowering Library StaffThe well-being of our staff is as important as that of our patrons. In week five, the focus will be on training programs, support systems, and feedback mechanisms with the goal of ensuring library staff are well-equipped and supported in their roles. A confident and empowered staff is key to maintaining a calm and inclusive library atmosphere. Photo by Yan Krukau from Pexels. Week Six: Community CollaborationNo library operates in isolation. In the final week, I’ll discuss the importance of building partnerships with local shelters, social services, and other community organizations. These collaborations are vital for extending the library’s reach, enhancing services, and strengthening the library’s role in the community. Throughout this series, I aim to provide actionable insights, strategies, and expert advice to help public libraries become more inclusive and supportive spaces for all community members, particularly those experiencing homelessness. Each week will offer a comprehensive look at a different facet of this important topic, providing a roadmap for libraries to make a meaningful difference in their communities. Stay tuned for an insightful journey into enhancing public library services for individuals experiencing homelessness.
One of my desires is to develop this site into a useful resource for others and an easily accessible resource for myself. A key aspect of achieving this desire is the ‘LINKS’ page. On this page I list links to some of my favourite websites, web engines, wikis, and online learning resources.
Today, I would like to highlight the ‘Web Engines’ section. I recently decided to create this section after discovering QuadLook and Wolfram Alpha: two unique web engines offering beneficial information services to users. QuadLook is a useful search engine for searching and viewing results from multiple sources on a single page. Information from different sources is displayed in windows that can be maximized with a ‘+’ symbol in the top right corner. QuadLook aggregates results from credible sources like Google, Bing, Twitter, YouTube, WordPress, Wikipedia, and news publishers to provide a holistic representation of relevant information in a single location. The major search categories QuadLook offers include web sites, YouTube, blogs, Wikipedia, Twitter, and news. Wolfram Alpha is an engine for computing answers and providing knowledge. Wolfram Alpha is a computational knowledge engine, not a search engine. Search engines index web pages, seek out textual (and sometimes visual) clues and matches, and provide users with a list of links and other information. This is in contrast to Wolfram Alpha that uses information curated by human experts to compute a specific answer and analysis for every query. Wolfram Alpha has users input queries into a minimalist text box. Once submitted Wolfram Alpha may prompt users to confirm assumptions or input more information for clarification. Wolfram Alpha provides users with additional information they may find useful, including related queries, definitions, notes, and source information. Users are provided with a personalized experience that features favorite queries for quick access, query history, and the ability to set preferences such as result width and font size. The major categories of knowledge you can query Wolfram Alpha about include:
In addition to QuadLook and Wolfram Alpha, I have included links to Bing, DuckDuckGo, and Google. Bing is a web search engine by Microsoft. The major search categories Bing offers include web, images, videos, maps, news, and translator. Bing provides users with search suggestions when typing and after a search if it thinks users misspelled any words. Users can obtain instant answers to specific types of questions, including sports, finance, unit conversions, definitions, mathematical calculations, and more. Advance computations comprise part of the instant answers Bing offers. Wolfram Alpha powers these computations. Bing changes the background image for its search engine daily. DuckDuckGo is a web search engine that emphasizes protecting user privacy and provides users with results not personalized based on search history or location. All users with the same search inputs receive the same search results. The major search categories DuckDuckGo offers include web, meanings, images, videos, about, news, and definition. DuckDuckGo compiles results from a multitude of sources, including Yahoo, Wikipedia, Wolfram Alpha, and Bing. Google is the world’s most popular search engine. The major search categories Google offers include web, images, news, maps, videos, books, flights, and apps. Google provides users with search suggestions when typing and after a search if it thinks users have misspelled any terms. Google allows users to input search syntax and trigger words for increased search functionality. For example, adding a ‘-’ symbol before a term is equivalent to the ‘NOT’ Boolean operator. Another example is using Google search for currency conversion by typing a currency value (e.g. 100) followed by a currency code (e.g. “CAD” for Canadian dollars) and the word “in” followed by a different currency code to compute the equivalent monetary value. Yet another example is “filetype:” followed by a type of file (e.g. “pdf”) to only return search results of a specific type of file. One of my favorite things about all the web engines mentioned is that every one features a minimalist user interface focused around a clean and tidy text box. A simple uncluttered interface is one of my chief desires when deciding on web engines to use. If you have not heard of any of these web engines before I highly recommend you check them out. You might just discover a new tool that quickly becomes indispensable in your everyday life. Now that you’ve heard what I’ve got to say I want to know what you’ve got to say. What do you think of the search engines mentioned? Do you know of any other useful search engines you’d like to highlight? Do you have any interesting information to share about search engines? While going for a bike ride around Steinbach, Manitoba on what felt like the hottest day of the year so far (May 23, 2014), I conceived of the basic skeleton for a blog. I have been contemplating starting a blog for some time now, but have not started one yet as I was unsure if I could blog anything of interest or if I had the motivation to regularly write entries. In addition, I was unsure whether I would be ok with writing entries that were not on the same level of language and grammar as expected in essays I completed in University. This fear went away when I simply decided it would not matter so much to have exceptional grammar and diction. The important thing is simply to write. Now that I have finished my Master’s in Library and Information Studies, do not see more university in my near future, and have not yet acquired employment, I have no outlet for writing demanded of me yet I desire to write. The writing bug has bitten me and the symptom of needing to write is eliminating my fear of failure. Why not simply write, post, and see where everything goes? Another reason I feel the time is ripe to start a blog is I have been practicing yoga on an increasingly regular basis and as a result I find myself reflecting more about everything. This has led to a desire to write down my thoughts so I can remember and think about them further.
Below is a list of topics I wish to cover in my blog (Note: I wish to develop this blog organically, so it is likely I will add and subtract topics from this list as circumstances demand and desires change). At the current time my primary desire is to blog on topics involving personal development. I hope to produce a new post every time I do something that involves the topics below or something else of equivalent interest. I imagine this will result in a new post weekly or bi-weekly. We’ll see how close I come to meeting this goal. It is likely I will post both summary posts discussing my advancement involving a bunch of topics and specific posts focusing on one activity, project, or thought. I hope blogging helps me get to know myself better and improve my desire and ability to keep myself accountable to my goals.
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