The Claremont Library Telescope Lending Program

The PVAA is in a collaboration with the Friends of the Claremont Library (FoCL) sponsoring the library’s telescope lending program. This program is based on the original New Hampshire Astronomical Society’s Library Telescope Program™ launched in 2008. This program empowers libraries to spark curiosity, expand access to astronomy, and foster community engagement through hands-on telescope lending – putting the stars within reach for all. The program currently has three Orion StarBlast Reflector telescopes that can be checked out for a week at a time to patrons age 18 and older who have a library card. Parents can check out a telescope to use with their children. The Orion StarBlast is a sturdy tabletop telescope with a Celestron Zoom 8-24 mm eyepiece suitable for beginners. It comes with a user-friendly guide and other materials. As of 2025, the FoCL is planning to obtain three or four Apertura Library Telescopes made by High Point Scientific. These are needed to supplement the three Orion telescopes due to the popularity of the lending program. The Apertura telescopes are Newtonian reflectors with a 114 mm (4.5-inch) primary mirror which are mounted on table-top Dobsonian mounts.

The PVAA partnership with the FoCL includes technical help and expertise, advice on telescope purchases, educational presentations at the library and provides a local astronomical resource to the library patrons. The PVAA provides maintenance of the telescopes by a member who cleans and adjusts the telescopes to their factory specifications at least once a year.

Please see our main page for a link to Astronomical Charts that will help with your observations.

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