The Language of Binoculars
Our innate curiosity, coupled with practical needs like hunting, navigation, defense, and understanding our place in the cosmos, has consistently driven us to bridge the gap between our perception and distant reality. This yearning to view distant objects led to countless innovations, including instruments that extend our sight. Binoculars are essentially two telescopes mounted side-by-side, allowing for comfortable, three-dimensional viewing by directing identical images to both eyes.
Optical expert and former president of the observatory, Gary Nelson, presented “The Language of Binoculars,” which provided a detailed guide to understanding, using, and optimizing binoculars. Gary explained terms such as magnification, objective size, exit pupil, field of view, poroprism, and more. Gary also provided demonstrations and personalized guidance on proper usage, helping participants achieve sharper, clearer views of their desired subjects. The session covered how to identify appropriate binoculars for individual needs and value, ensuring folks make informed choices for future purchases.
Gary Nelson is uniquely qualified to lead this talk. With an optical engineering degree in Ophthalmic Dispensing from SUNY Erie, he is a board-certified and licensed Ophthalmic Dispenser in New York State and Massachusetts, boasting over four decades of experience in the optical field. His expertise extends far beyond eyeglasses; Gary has meticulously crafted optical lenses and telescope mirrors, and has a rich history of repairing binoculars, gun scopes, and microscopes.
Gary’s deep connection to the cosmos began during his college astronomy courses, where he learned the intricate art of grinding telescope mirrors from the legendary Marshal Martz—the namesake of the Martz-Kohl Observatory. Gary went on to teach mirror grinding classes, manufacture telescopes for beginners, and dedicated over two decades to repairing telescopes and binoculars. He was also a successful Meade telescope dealer for more than eight years, supplying professional-grade telescopes to colleges and professional astronomers alike.
Furthermore, Gary has served on-and-off for over twenty years as president of the Marshall Martz Memorial Astronomical Association, Inc., the non-profit organization that operates the observatory. His tenure was marked by a strong advocacy for promoting educational opportunities between local schools and the Martz-Kohl Observatory, often consulting with area schools on the feasibility and costs associated with constructing their own observatories.
Help the Martz-Kohl Observatory bring lectures, movies and other events to the observatory and online. Please donate via PayPal.