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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).

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Barstronomy
Barstronomy

What's a music-loving urban stargazer to do to celebrate astronomy? Obviously, show the skies to people out for a show at their favorite music pub! I've been enjoying local and touring acts at Woodlands Tavern in Columbus, Ohio for almost two years. A regular at Open Mic Wednesdays, I talk about my stargazing hobby, a lot. Earlier this year, a local musician/promoter suggested I set up on Woodlands patio, with a big gas firepit between numerous sodium-vapor streetlights. At the next Open Mic, I did.

Anyone was invited to look. Tripod-mounted 20x80 astro-binoculars drew a crowd that first night. With greater-than-expected response, I set up an red 8" Newtonian on a Dobsonian mount the next time out, some mistook it for a cannon. More people came; waiting lines formed. The moon fascinated everyone, and Saturn had patrons dragging friends outside for a look. Many seemed to think the ringed planet was a bar trick, since it looked so good. We also viewed the Orion Nebula, Orion's Sword, Pleiades, Hyades, M13 and the Beehive.

Better, I found most patrons could easily be taught to aim the scopes. I could sit back and watch the fun as people observed, head in for pinball, or get another beverage and a music fix. Everyone is afraid to touch the scope at first. If I have a mission besides fun looking at bright celestial targets, it's to get folks over scope-phobia, and let them run the scope! Adding an H-alpha scope for daytime solar viewing ramped up interest even more.

I started calling it "Barstronomy, and began tweeting, Facebooking and email-listing as "Duke Skygawker" to let astro-fans know when I'd be set up. I registered the web domains for Barstronomy (Google it!) and put up a website. I trademarked a logo and started giving away Barstronomy t-shirts. Unsolicited Facebook testimonials like "Barstronomy is stellar!" started appearing. Stepping it up, I brought in a solar telescope and showed prominences flaring off the sun. Willie Nelson's son Lukas, in for a show, loved it and tweeted to all his fans to follow @Barstronomy. Local media coverage led to another jump in interest, and official status as part of Woodlands Tavern's ongoing attractions. I set up every chance I get.

If a cold beverage and a look through the scope help you think about your place in the universe or debate cosmology with your fellow pub-goers, it's more entertaining for everyone. That makes every day Astronomy Day, every week Astronomy Week.

Barstronomy is free, fun, and a universal exclusive as far as modern science can determine. Here's how to know when Barstronomy will set up next:
Follow @Barstronomy on Twitter
Friend "Duke Skygawker" on Facebook
Send an email to skygawker@barstronomy.com

photo submission from Dukw s.
Details
Date Taken: 07/27/2011
Author: Duke Skygawker
Category: Astronomy Outreach

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