Over the last few years, I have been surfing and reading a LOT on astronomy, making notes here and there, etc. On a not infrequent basis, I find that the info I’m looking for is spread across multiple sites and books.

Take exit pupils for instance. I read the RASC Observer’s Guide section on exit pupils more than once, and didn’t get it. I also read several other websites and books, and didn’t get it. Then I read Michael Swanson’s Celestron NexStar User’s Guide II, and it clicked. All the little pieces suddenly meshed. And I immediately wanted to share that info with others in the way that made sense to me…partly as I found the other descriptions lacking.

Not that the other writers were wrong, or that they didn’t do a good job, it was just that it didn’t resonate with me. Which makes me wonder if others are in the same boat. And based on how many people read my post about good alignment with the Celestron NexStar 8SE, there are others who like my take on how to explain things.

So, just as I have done with my guide to government competitions, I started thinking about another guide in the same vein — A PolyWogg Guide to Astronomy (Completely Unofficial and Totally Unauthorized).… Read the rest