Inspire through access
The Library Telescope Program (LTP) is a Missouri-based non-profit organization that aims to inspire curiosity and learning by making the night sky more accessible to everyone, regardless of age, background, or means. Since launching in 2008, the LTP has partnered with over 1,000 libraries across the globe and continues to rapidly expand their initiative.
For more than twenty years, High Point Scientifics’ passionate team has been committed to growing the public’s interest in astronomy and bringing more people together under the night sky. As the largest astronomy retailer in the United States, service and education are the bedrock of our values, allowing our team to continue making the night sky more accessible to everyone.
This shared goal has allowed for a partnership that runs deep and ensures advancement in the accessibility of astronomy. Under the guidance of the LTP, Apertura has applied their tried-and-true, library-ready modifications to a telescope, and we've made this available as a turn-key solution for libraries, their patrons, and others.
Library Telescope Modifications Backed By Apertura's Telescope Expertise
Keeping with the values of the Library Telescope Program and utilizing their astronomy expertise, Apertura has engineered their Library Telescope to ensure the tried-and-true changes developed by the Library Telescope Program will stand the test of time. Want to learn more? We've laid out the most impactful modifications and how they will deliver library facilitators and patrons confidence and enjoyment while searching the night sky!
Robust Optical Alignment
Alignment of the primary and secondary mirrors within any reflecting telescope is a critical component of whether the scope will perform well or not. Traditional reflecting telescopes offer user-adjustable collimation knobs, making it easy to misalign the optics. While this won’t damage the telescope, it certainly will minimize its ability to provide quality views. With the Apertura Library Telescope, user-adjustable alignment has been simplified. Instead of using a set of knobs and locking screws, the primary mirror cell now offers a nut and bolt system that allows for stronger/longer lasting alignment and eliminating the need for patrons to adjust collimation themselves and still allowing library program facilitators to maintain the telescopes with ease.
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Smooth Focus Adjustment
Finding awe-inspiring views Finding awe-inspiring views relies on more than just a polished optical system. To bring these wonders into sharp focus, Apertura has given the Library Telescope a smooth and steady focuser. A step of above entry level focusers, this replaces plastic with metal and adds a rack & pinion mechanism. This allows patrons hone in on objects without hiccups in the focus travel and helps keep sharp focus locked in place. The motion is pre-tensioned from the factory, with the typical thumbscrew adjustment replaced by a simple set screw. This prevents accidental adjustments by inexperienced users, allowing your patrons to focus on exploring the wonders of our universe.
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Affixed Zoom
A high-quality optical system is only as good as the eyepiece included. The Apertura Library Telescope offers a great range of magnifications from a 22x magnification for wide field views of the Moon to a 65x magnification for higher power planetary and star cluster observations. This is achieved using a 7 mm to 21 mm zoom eyepiece with comfortable eye placement the provides a wide field, sharp, high-contrast, and rich colored view. The eyepiece is oriented with the range accessible from the top and affixed to the focuser to ensure it is easy to use, never lost, and can offer years of enjoyment.
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Simplified Object Locator
Red Dot Finders are often a point of frustration for new and experienced amateur astronomers alike, but with a bit of practice, they offer a fantastic way of navigating the night sky. The Red Dot Finder (RDF) included with the Library Telescope offers a simple and effective way of aligning the telescope to your favorite objects. Apertura affixes the RDF to the main optical tube to help provide a closer alignment right out of the box. They have ensured the replacement battery compartment is on the top instead of on the bottom, making replacing the batteries easier than ever before.
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The Complete Package
Helpful Graphics: An eyepiece magnification chart putting things into perspective and quick access to resources, the LTP’s thoughtful high-visibility vinyl graphics help ensure a successful night regardless of experience.
Tethered Dust Caps: To keep the Apertura Library Telescope optics clean and safe, the telescope includes three different dust caps. Each is tethered to the telescope, so misplacing them will be a thing of the past. These dust caps encompass a soft case for the entire eyepiece and a main dust cap for the entire front objective. The main dust cap additionally has two smaller caps, which can be removed to provide a dimmer view of bright objects like the Moon.
Convenient Accessory Bag: For storing the included headlamp, extra batteries, and anything else a library might want to include for their patrons, included is a larger, multi-zipper polyvinyl water resistant bag that is wrapped around the base for easy access.
Apertura Red LED Headlamp: Whether a patron is taking the Apertura Library Telescope to dark skies or simply staying in their backyard or a park, becoming acclimated to the night sky is a crucial component to enjoying the cosmos. Including a Red LED Headlamp like the Apertura Ember ensures patrons preserve their “night-adjusted” eyes, allowing them to maximize their experience under the stars.
The Library Telescope Program’s commitment to expanding accessibility to the night sky cannot be overstated. With their vast community of volunteers and over 1,000 libraries across the globe, they continue to broaden horizons and help introduce people into the world of STEM in a fun and exciting way, igniting a passion for the universe for years to come. The Apertura Library Telescope represents a culmination of experience to develop thoughtful modifications ideal for libraries and their patrons. As a proud partner of the library telescope program, we’re looking forward to continuing to educate, grow, and bring awareness to their organization and our shared goal.