Some little suggestions for spending some brief moments of serenity

During this time of coronavirus quarantine, it's almost impossible not to think about the thousands of people who have died in Italy and around the world. I receive emails and messages almost daily from friends and readers who, sad, helpless, and disheartened, recount their situations: those who have lost grandparents, those who are bedridden at home with a fever of 38.5°C, those who, sadly, have been hospitalized.
However, there are also many enthusiasts who send me pictures of their equipment and how they are trying to use it, even from home.

I've therefore decided to write some advice for people who own binoculars, a small astronomical or terrestrial telescope and have access to a balcony, a window, or a small garden.

My sympathy, however, goes out to the many who, unfortunately, are isolated in an apartment without being able to take advantage of the opportunities just mentioned.

 

Birdwatching from home

It's possible to make fruitful observations…at zero kilometers, even amateur astronomers can try. If you have binoculars, a spotting scope, or a small refractor (even an achromatic one), preferably one with an erecting prism, you can try to catalog all the species you manage to observe. The luckiest ones will obviously be those with gardens or those living in suburban areas, but even those living in big cities shouldn't be discouraged. There are always dozens of birds near parks (if you're lucky enough to have one within reach of your spotting scope). Keep an eye on the buildings around you, too.

Everyone is familiar with the case of the peregrine falcons at the Pirellone in Milan, for example. These magnificent birds of prey usually nest in rocky locations, but for a few years now they've been producing young in the heart of the Milanese metropolis.
If you'd like to try observing birds of prey, you might want to start practicing with low-power binoculars, preferably wide-angle, and try scanning the sky during the period when thermals can form. Thermals are simply bubbles of rising warm air. A cold current flows through the center of the bubble, which is then pushed by the wind. The birds of prey reach the thermal and, with outstretched wings, ascend with it, conserving their energy. The bubble is ring-shaped, allowing warm air to circulate within it; the bird of prey prefers to "stay in the thermal," gliding without wasting energy.
For those fortunate enough to be surrounded by hills, mountains, and trees, I recommend exploring at medium to high magnifications (20-40x) using the panning technique (moving the instrument from right to left), trying to check the tree branches. You'll often be lucky enough to spot perched birds of prey.

Ungulates and other animals

Here things get complicated, because many readers, unfortunately, are surrounded by houses or apartment buildings; this "observation practice" is limited to the lucky few who enjoy a view of the surrounding mountains. Personally, I enjoy a wide view of several local mountains, and these days it's become a habit to take my daughters out into the garden to try and observe deer and roe deer. Thanks to the Docter Aspectem 40X, we've repeatedly tracked the exploits of an adult doe about four kilometers away, as well as a fox (on the small mountain a few hundred meters from our house) that habitually perches on a rock near a sunny, panoramic spot.

 

Earth panorama

In this case, the situation is more favorable, as even from the city you can see the Alps or the Apennines. In this case, the satisfaction will increase in proportion to the instrument observed. It's normal that with excellent fluorite binoculars with variable magnification, this type of observation is very rewarding, but, for this occasion, a small astronomical telescope equipped with an old eyepiece might also work. The goal is always the same: to try to distract yourself, distract your children, and maintain old habits. A reader wrote to me just yesterday, saying he was coping with the situation (he lives in the province of Varese, on the fourth floor of a building) thanks to an old Meade ETX 90 that he "didn't even remember having.".
He dusted it off and with a pair of eyepieces began to show his daughter Monte Rosa and other peaks, which he is lucky enough to observe from the kitchen window.
Of course he also started observing the starry sky again.

Starry sky

I have very little to recommend to amateur astronomers, but dear birdwatchers, trekking enthusiasts, boating enthusiasts, or owners of hunting binoculars, try distracting yourselves by "raising your eyes to the sky.".

There are many objects to observe during this period. The moon, for example, will already be showing itself to us in an interesting phase this evening, and the planet Venus will be quite close to it and the Pleiades. I recommend starting with a star atlas app for your smartphone; there's even a lunar map with the names of all the formations. The luckiest ones, of course, will have some astronomical encyclopedia or a specific manual at home.

 

Digiscoping and phonescoping

Maybe the time has come to try connecting your camera or smartphone to binoculars and telescopes, trying to take some nature or astronomical images.

 

Lens maintenance
Anyone among you can dedicate themselves to cleaning and maintaining your equipment: novices can dust off their grandfather's old binoculars, amateur astronomers can take care of telescopes and mounts, and so on.

All optical instruments require proper care to last over time and maintain their performance. After months of continuous use or after brief observations in dusty or salty areas, it's a good idea to clean your instrument's lenses.
All lenses have an anti-reflective coating that is more or less resistant to scratches and micro-abrasions. However, the first step—before actually cleaning—is to remove dust or micro-grains of sand. To do this, you can use a blower or a soft-bristled brush specifically designed for this type of maintenance. Avoid using a traditional handkerchief or worn cloth, especially with high-quality tools.

It is advisable to avoid using spray cans to clean computer keyboards, as the gases inside could grease the surface of the lenses.  
For proper cleaning you need very few accessories: 
First, a kit of paper for cleaning photographic lenses. A little isopropyl alcohol or a few drops of lens cleaning fluid (the Optical Wonder kit from the well-known astronomy company Baader is excellent in this case), 50 ml of distilled water, and a couple of classic cotton swabs for cleaning eyepiece lenses. Lens cleaning fluid is also very useful.
After removing the excess dust with a brush or spray, compress the lens hoods, if your instrument has them, to expose as much of the objective surface as possible and, where possible, remove those that protect the eyepieces.

Next, soak the strips in a little liquid made by combining about ten drops of isopropyl alcohol diluted with distilled water. Use very light, circular motions (for lenses longer than ten centimeters, you can gently move from the inside out). Clean the lens, taking care not to leave any streaks or smears. 
The same goes for the lenses. Change the paper frequently and continue cleaning without applying too much pressure until you see no annoying streaks when held against the light. 
If you live or store your instrument in a humid place, it may also be helpful to tape two small packets of silica gel together to prevent moisture buildup.

 

In conclusion

I know it's hard, even for my family, even though we have a large garden and are fortunate enough to live surrounded by mountains. I can only reiterate my deepest esteem for those readers who are coping with this quarantine period in a small two-room apartment, without a balcony, and who perhaps also have relatives in the hospital and live in fear of receiving terrible news at any moment.

However, we must try to take small moments of serenity, disconnecting our minds and trying to erase, even if only for a short time, fears and uncertainties.

I really urge you to try to involve your children, perhaps even your wife and the relatives who live with you, to create brief moments that can generate a little happiness and erase the stress which, as you well know, is very detrimental to our health, especially in this period.

Like many others, I'm still forced to go to work. My primary job has been declared essential, so every morning I leave my wife and daughters to go to the office. I try to be very careful, wear gloves and a mask, and when I return, I put into practice all the little precautions that have been so strongly recommended these days, especially here in Lombardy, where the situation is worrying to say the least. However, as far as possible, I'm trying to live my usual life: so I hope you'll make the same effort.

Take heart, it will pass, and in a few months, when everything will finally be a memory, we will organize the largest Binomania event ever conceived and organized. Together, we will observe the sky and nature with our instruments.