Finder Scope Optical Tube Alignment (continued)
Some models of the ETX, depending on date of
manufacture, have different Finder Scopes. Some
have an electronic red dot and others might have a
low power scope with crosshairs, mounted to the
main telescope body.
Use the Finder Scope to aim the main Optical Tube at the intended target in the distance
and then look through the Telescope Eye Piece. Most likely you are going to have to turn
the focus knob on the scope in order to see anything at all. Also, when viewing through
the eye piece, the image is backwards, so up is down, down is up, right is left and left is
right. Make whatever adjustments are necessary to get the intended target in the viewing
center of the Eye Piece. Take your time, this backwards way of looking at things is the
same in most if not all telescopes available to the backyard astronomer. This image can be
“corrected” if a person wants to spend some money and if something might actually be
available to do so, just get use to it.
Once the target is centered in the main telescope, lock down both the horizontal and
vertical adjustments. Now adjust the Finder Scope so its center of target matches that of
the main Telescope. Now both the main scope and spotting scope should be aligned. In
the future, the Finder Scope, with its wider field of view will greatly assist in the search
and finding the selected targeted objects for night sky viewing.
