Best Solution
posted on Jul 17, 2008
Rank: Wiz
Rating: 92%, 25 votes
Hi,
your telescope appears to be a newtonian reflector on a dobsonian mount. This type of scope is basically a point and shoot design, simplicity itself and many experienced astronomers swear by them, for there ease of use, set-up time etc.
The number 6 in the model number denotes the aperture (size of mirror) in inches. This is a good starter scope (much better than these small scopes that boast 525 X magnification) and with it tou will be able to clearly see Jupiters four main moons and the planets cloud belts. You will be able to see Saturn and it's ring system. Many nebulae, star clusters etc will become visable, that were invisible before.
Getting started with this kind of scope is pretty easy even for an absolute beginner. Set up the scope on a flat even surface, putting it all together should be self-explanatory. Insert the lowest power eyepiece (Usually the one with the biggest lens, and the one with the biggest number i.e. 40mm) and begin by pointing the open end of the scope at a bright object in the sky. To get you going with a bit of a buzz, I suggest Jupiter. Jupiter rises in the SE at 20.50, and is due South at around half past midnight, Look for a bright star that doesn’t twinkle to the right of the moon at about midnight, and that’s Jupiter!
Whilst looking through the eyepiece, carefully move the scope back and forth, up and down in the general direction of the planet. Remember, you are only looking at a very small part of the sky, probably about the size of a full moon.
It is unlikely your scope will be in focus at this stage so what you will find will probably look like a doughnut. When you find this “doughnut” you will need to focus. Adjust the focus knob until you see a crisp image of a small disk. If you are in Europe, you will see three bright moons (two on one side and one on the other) the fourth is hard to see tonight, but if you are lucky, you may glimpse a view of the shadow of this moon (Europa) as it crosses the disk. On the East coast of the US, you will also see three moons clearly, the fourth, Ganymede. Is still in Jupiter’s shadow at half past midnight, but by 1pm, it will become visible as it moves out of the shadow.
Keep looking for Ganymede during this half hour, it makes interesting viewing, and gives a sense of realism and motion to the whole event.
Try using different eyepieces as you become more accustomed to your scope, everything you see is upside down and back to front. Using different eyepieces will require re-focusing, but with a bit of practice, it will become second nature.
Finally, adjusting your finder scope. You will notice that the finder is held in place with two (sometimes three) adjustable screws. It may be best to set the finder scope up in the daytime. First find a distant object in the main scope (the further the better) a chimney pot on a distant roof etc. Then using the adjusting screws, centre the same object in the finder. It’s a bit fiddly at first, but you will get the hang of it. Then when night time comes, finding celestial objects is much easier. First locate the object in the finder scope, centre it, and the object should be in view in the main scope.
Hope this helps to get you going.
Kind Regards….Dave
