Telescope Loaner Program

Lending Period: One Month
Cost:
Members: FREE
Non-Members: $40 refundable deposit

Please bring exact change & a valid Photo ID. Deposit is refunded on return of telescope; on time and in the same condition as when lent out.

Available for members and non-members alike, the Telescope Loaner Program provides the opportunity to borrow a telescope for one month as a first time introduction, for travel, or to view special events such as eclipses and comets.

Interested or have questions?
Contact the Loaner Program Coordinator today!

Pick-Up and Drop-Off

By Appointment Only – Contact the Loaner Program Coordinator

General Info

    • We have one pickup day each month. They are scheduled on a Saturday at 12PM.
    • We also have one return day each month. They are also scheduled on a Saturday at 12PM.
    • When you’re at the top of the list you’ll get an email letting you know. Generally you’ll get the email the weekend before the pickup day. You’ll be asked to confirm that you can make a particular pickup day and return day.
    • If you are a non-member, you will need to bring $40 for the deposit. The deposit will be fully refunded when you return the scope.
    • You’ll need to bring a photo id (driver’s license preferred) for the form.

Telescope Safety

Never point a telescope, or finder, at the Sun without a sun filter.

For safety reasons, the RASC Edmonton Centre does not provide solar filters with their loaner telescopes as incorrect usage or damaged filters can lead to irreparable eye damage. The Edmonton RASC Centre will not be held liable for any damages caused by pointing a loaner telescope at the Sun or careless use of a loaner telescope.

Telescopes Available

SkyWatcher 6″/8″/10″ Newtonian
Fantastic scopes for first timers and longtimers alike. These telescope is very easy to transport, set up and use. There are only two components to this instrument: the wooden Dobsonian mount and the optical tube. The optical tube and components are packed in an Orion padded scope case. This instrument is less bulky than our Coulter 10” Newtonian and unlike the Coulter, the SkyWatcher can fit nicely into the trunk of a small car. This is a great telescope for all around observing the Moon, planets and deep sky.
Specs
8″ f/6, 1,200mm FL

tl_meade_etx_90
Meade ETX 90mm Maksutov-Cassegrain
They are excellent for planets and stars, and good for deep sky objects. A nice telescope for travel. This telescope can also serve as a 1250mm telephoto lens for a DSLR camera.
tl_celestron_6se

Celestron 6SE 152mm (6″) Schmidt-Cassegrain
This telescope combines the classic heritage of the original orange tube telescopes with state-of-the-art features including a fully automated GoTo mount with database of 40,000+ celestial objects, automatic location and tracking of objects, and Celestron’s latest star alignment technology StarSense. StarSense gets your telescope aligned and ready to observe in minutes all by itself. Unique single fork arm design and sturdy steel tripod all break down into separate components for easy transport and quick assembly.

Celestron 8 Classic 20cm (8″) Schmidt-Cassegrain
This vintage Celestron 8 is the classic orange-tube Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope that revolutionized amateur astronomy in the mid-1970’s. It is very easy to set up and operate, and the attached Telrad finder makes it easy to point the telescope at naked-eye targets. The great feature of this telescope is the 2-inch set of eyepieces that accompany the telescope, which provides superior field of view compared to the standard 1.25-inch format of our other telescopes.

Care of Telescopes

Please allow optics to dry thoroughly before capping and storing in a secure, dry location. Provide cushioning when transporting and make sure that optical components are sealed.

Do not attempt any maintenance on the telescopes or their components. We attempt to keep our equipment in good shape and will not knowingly lend a telescope which has mechanical or optical defects. This includes optical cleaning, optical alignment, or disassembly of the telescope or its components telescopes in any way. If there is a performance issue, please inform the Loaner Program Coordinator.

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