FAQ's

Q. When I look through my binoculars, the two images don't line up. What do I do?

Q. How do you align the finderscope?

Q. My equatorial mount telescope seems unsteady, how can it be stabilized?

Q. Do you have any hints for beginners on viewing through a telescope?

Q. What can I see with my telescope?

Q. What is the best site selection?

Q. What is the best time to observe?

Q. When I look through my binoculars, the two images don't line up. What do I do?

A. Your binoculars are out of collimation and you need to return them to our service division.

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Q. How do you align the finderscope?

A. Aligning the finderscope can be accomplished following these steps.

1. With the 2Omm eyepiece in place, point the telescope at some well-defined land target (e.g. a telephone pole or building) at least
200 yards away. This may be done manually or by using the fine tracking controls (control knobs). With target object centered in the field, tighten the control lock knobs.
2. Look through the finderscope and tighten or loosen, as appropriate, the finderscope's alignment screws until the crosshairs of the finderscope are precisely centered on the same object already centered in the telescope's field of view.
3. Once this is accomplished objects located first in the finderscopes field of view will also be centered in the main telescope. (Note: the image presented by the finderscope will be upside-down and reversed)

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Q. My equatorial mount telescope seems unsteady, how can it be stabilized?

A. Properly balancing the scope will make it easier to work with. Use the following steps to help you out.

1. Arrange the telescope so that the telescope body is horizontal to the floor (latitude of 0 degrees). Loosen the R.A. (right ascension) lock-knob. With R.A. lock loosened, the telescope mount will turn freely about the polar axis. Rotate the telescope about the polar axis so that the counterweight shaft is parallel to the ground (horizontal).

2. Loosen the counterweight's lock screw, and slide the counterweight along the shaft until the telescope remains in any given position without tending to drift in either direction. Then re-tighten the counterweight lock screw to lock the counterweight in position.

3. To balance the telescope about the declination axis. First loosen the declination lock knob, then slightly loosen the clamp ring screws so that the telescope main tube can slide inside the rings. Slide the main tube up or down inside the rings until the telescope is balanced about the declination axis. Re-tighten the clamp ring screws. The telescope is now balanced.

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Q. Do you have any hints for beginners on viewing through a telescope?

A. For beginners it is best to put in some practice by viewing terrestrial objects during the day. Initial experience can be gained during this
time of the operation and use of your telescope. If your telescope is equipped with a moon filter, be sure to remove it from the ocular, do this before viewing objects and only use the filter(s) for their intended use.

Never mount more than one accessory (except moon filter) with your ocular lens. This shifts your focal length and prevents you from getting a proper focus, (Example: Barlow and Star Diagonal, 2Omm ocular lens.

Let's talk about POWER: It's a natural tendency for all of us to want to magnify the moon, planets and stars as much as possible so as to be able to see it as closely as we can. Wouldn't it be wonderful to see the "canals" on Mars or the ice cap on Jupiter or the Apollo landing sights on the moon?

Yet, the pure and simple physics of light transmission, refraction and magnification through optical lenses make this a very challenging
task. As one seeks to increase magnification of an image, more and more of the light is lost or reflected. And as more magnification is
achieved, the more interference occurs from ambient or casual light sources, as well as from the atmosphere itself. That is why the more
experienced telescope user knows that viewing is generally more enjoyable at lower powers.

That is why we suggest you begin learning about your new telescope by starting at the lower powers. After you gain some skill and practice at low powers, you can carefully move up when viewing conditions are best.

By starting with the lowest powered ocular lens, this allows you to focus in and find objects prior to using the higher powered oculars (5mm, 6mm, 4mm or 2x Barlow) produces a smaller field of view. If the image is fuzzy at higher magnification, drop down to a lower magnification as the atmospheric conditions are not sufficient to support the high magnification at observation time. Remember, the higher the number on the ocular, the lower the power. To figure the power of an ocular lens you divide the number on the ocular into in to the focal length of the telescope. (Example: 700mm/20mm=35x).

Avoid touching or jarring the scope while viewing. This results in vibration that causes the image to shimmy or move. Also make sure
that all assembly screws are secured as tightly as possible. When viewing at night, allow at least 15 minutes for your eyes to become adapted to the dark. If you wear glasses, remove them when viewing through your scope unless you have an astigmatism.

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Q. What can I see with my telescope?

A. Astronomically, you can see the Moon, the Sun if correctly filtered, all of the planets except perhaps Pluto, some surface details on Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, multiple stars, globular and open clusters, bright nebulae, galaxies and nearby galaxy clusters. Terrestrially, there are wildlife, sports, etc., but remember that daytime viewing is often over areas which may radiate heat so that very distant subjects may shimmer.

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Q. What is the best site selection?

A. By far the most important factor for successful viewing is site selection. Faint objects are difficult or impossible to see if you are in an area with smog and lots of light.

Travel to the best site as reasonably possible. This place should be away from city light, and should be upwind from any source of pollution. Always choose as high an elevation as possible; this will get you above some of the lights and pollution and will ensure that you aren't bothered by ground fog.

Observe flat ground, away from buildings, walls or natural obstructions and away from any source of heat.

Make sure you have a dark, unobstructed view of the horizon.

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Q What is the best time to observe?

A. Check the weather forcast. The best conditions will have still air, and obviously, a clear view of the sky. NOTE: It's not necessary that the sky be cloud free. Often broken cloud conditions have excellent seeing.

Observe the night's objects as they cross the meridian. The meridian is an imaginary line that runs from the Zenith, due North South. This is the point at which objects are the highest in the sky. Observing at this time reduces all of the bad effects of the atmosphere.

Give your telescope's optics time to adjust to ambient temperature. Your mirror or lens is changing shape as it cools, resulting in a poor image. Allow longer cooling time for larger optics. If you are using an equatorial mount, use this time for polar alignment.

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