This is the ninth of a series of articles about astronomy equipment to help you decide what you might like. If you have questions about a specific piece of equipment, and how it compares to alternatives, send a note to me at and I'll see what I can find out.

We have covered just about everything you need, but this time we will discuss all of those other things that you want to make your life more enjoyable at the telescope. These are 20 things that you can put on your wish list for birthdays and holidays

1. Padded cases. You have all these great lenses and filters, be sure to get good cases to carry them in.
2. Power! Eventually you will want to have power with you out in the field. This may be to drive your telescope, to run your computer, or just to run a fan to keep cool in the Texas heat. I have two options: A battery pack - mine provides 12 volt DC as well as 110 volt AC, and a generator - 110 volt AC only.
3. An observing chair is a must if you plan to study the celestial bodies closely. It takes time and it can be rough on your back.
4. A green laser is great if you want to point out naked-eye objects to others.
5. Red lights - you can never have too many red lights. It is nice to have bright red lights to see where you are walking as well as fainter ones for reading charts and notes.
6. Log books - enough said! Bound is better, like composition notebooks. Don't forget the pens and pencils.
7. A level is helpful to check that your tripod is level.
8. A compass will help you find North in a strange location. Of course a GPS is useful too. Then you will also have your latitude and longitude.
9. A table to work on, portable of course is necessary.
10. A radio that receives WWV and a voice recorder are needed if you plan to participate in asteroid occultation research. I've done these - it's great fun.
11. A solar filter is a must if you plan to do sun-spot viewing.
12. If you own a compound reflector, buy a sky-light filter for the exit point on the rear of the telescope. It keeps dust and moisture out, since even when changing parts, the sky-light filter always stays in place.
13. Get a tarp to go under your work area. It cuts down on the dirt as well as the fire ants.
14. A computer is useful for controlling some telescopes as well as an interactive star chart and place to record things.
15. A comfortable chair is a good thing since an observing chair is not the most comfortable place to sit.
16. An eye patch will let you keep your second eye open which makes observing less fatiguing. It is also a way to maintain your night vision in your observing eye if you have lights temporarily.
17. Hand warmers are great because it gets very cold, even in southeast Texas.
18. Bring a cooler with drinks and some extra water. A little food to snack on is a good idea also.
19. Take a tool kit for those times when things need a little bit of repair. Be sure to bring common spare parts when possible (fuses, batteries, and the like).
20. And lastly, don't forget suntan lotion (for set-up) and bug repellant (for sun-down).