Directions for a Telescope

Find an area where you can set up your telescope. Yards and rooftops are ideal because they offer an unobstructed view of the night sky. Make sure the surface of your chosen site is flat and solid. Try to choose a place far from urban light pollution, but don't travel too far out of your way, because you will likely be taking your equipment to and from this place multiple times.

Set up your assembly well before you plan to make your observations. Keep your telescope mounted on the tripod at all times if possible. Choose the proper eyepiece for the desired magnification and attach it to the telescope. Take out any star maps you plan to consult and place them out where you can easily find them.

Align the telescope's equatorial mount to due north using your compass, or to the North Star. If your telescope has an altazimuth mount, you do not need to align it. Some telescopes do not have a mount.

Align your finderscope by finding an easily distinguishable constellation or planet in the sky with your eyepiece. Loosen the screws on the finderscope and find the same constellation or planet, then tighten the screws again.

Loosen the mount's axis and find the celestial object you want to observe in your finderscope. When you have it aligned in the center, tighten the axis and switch to your eyepiece. You can now use the slow-motion cables of the equatorial mount, or the pan control of the altazimuth mount, to track the object across the sky.

Loosen the mount's axis and use the finderscope to find a new object after you have finished your observations.