The virtual program "Basic Astronomy and Telescopes" is now available for free public viewing on the Garland County Library's Facebook and YouTube accounts.
The program was livestreamed last Thursday on Facebook and YouTube. Viewers were able to ask questions or leave comments. "The library's Facebook and YouTube accounts are publicly viewable with a simple Internet search, and viewers do not need an account of their own to watch," a news release said.
Skubish and his wife moved to the Hot Springs Village from Colorado in 2006, and became astronomy aficionados soon after. According to Skubish, when he joined the Hot Springs Village Stargazers Club in 2007, the president of the club had "an amazing 14-inch reflector telescope with computerized go-to capability, which opened up a new world of deep space viewing. I immediately purchased an 8-inch scope with the same go-to capability and we began enjoying the star parties with the Astronomy Club. I eventually gave in to 'aperture fever' and purchased a 22-inch reflector. It has wonderful light gathering capabilities and provides a whole new level of deep space viewing."
The contents of the program are beginner-friendly. Skubish provides a brief overview of the basics of astronomy and telescopes. According to Skubish, "the reaction people get when someone views Saturn's rings or the Orion Nebula for the first time is worth all the effort" of learning about stargazing.
For more information about virtual programming, online databases, curbside pickup, home delivery for those that live in or near Hot Springs Village or Lake Hamilton School, call the library, 1427 Malvern Ave., at 501-623-4161. Visit http://www.gclibrary.com for access to online catalog, accounts, and e-materials.