Hobbies And Interests
Instructions
Locate the eyepiece and the finder scope on the telescope. Depending on how familiar you are with the telescope you're using, you may need to refer to the owner's manual for a telescope diagram. The configuration of these components may vary from one style of reflecting telescope to the next.
Set up the telescope in a dark clearing. It is best to align the telescope just prior to use, as transporting can knock it out of alignment even if you handle it gently. When choosing where to set up your telescope, keep in mind that the presence of any ambient light can flood the telescope with light and make viewing difficult.
Take the eyepiece with the lowest magnification out of your telescope kit and lock it into the eyepiece mount. If another eyepiece is already locked into the mount, remove it first.
Look through the eyepiece and adjust the telescope until the moon comes into view. Technically, you can use any identifiable celestial object to align your telescope, but the moon is often the best choice because it is so large, bright and immediately identifiable.
Adjust the telescope's position so that the moon is in the center of the eyepiece view.
Loosen the screws or knobs surrounding the finder scope.
Look through the finder scope while you retighten the screws. You will see that the view shifts in the opposite direction of each screw as it is tightened. Tighten the screws as needed to get the moon perfectly centered on the cross-hairs in the middle of the scope view.
Lock down the finder scope if your telescope is equipped with a mechanism for this. Not all telescopes have a lock or brace to stabilize this scope.