Tasco Space Station Instruction Manual Download

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HELPFUL HINTS

ENJOYING YOUR NEW TELESCOPE

1. First determine your targeted object. Any bright object in the night sky is a good starting point

One  of  the  favorite  starting  points  in  astronomy  is  the  moon.  This  is  an  object  sure  to  please
any  budding  astronomer  or  experienced  veteran.  When  you  have  developed  proficiency  at  this
level,  other  objects  become  good  targets.  Saturn,  Mars,  Jupiter,  and  Venus  are  good  second  steps
to take.

2. The first thing you need to do after assembling the telescope as planned is center the desired object

in the finderscope’s cross hairs. Provided you did a reasonable job aligning the finderscope, a quick

look through the main telescope tube at low power should reveal the same image. With the lowest

power eyepiece (the one with the largest number printed on it) you should be able to focus the

same image that you saw through the finderscope. Avoid the temptation to move directly to the

highest power. The low power eyepiece will give you a wider field of view, and brighter image—thus

making it very easy to find your target object. At this point with a focused image in both scopes,

you’ve passed the first obstacle. If you don’t see an image after attempting to focus it in, you

might consider aligning your finderscope again. Once you pass this step, you’ll will enjoy the time

spent ensuring a good alignment. Every object you center in the finderscope will be easily found in

the main telescope tube, which is important for continuing your exploration of the night sky.

3. The low power eyepieces are perfect for viewing the full moon, planets, star clusters, nebulae, and

even constellations. These should build your foundation. However, for more detail, try bumping

up in magnification to higher power eyepieces on some of these objects. During calm and crisp

nights, the light/dark separation line on the moon (called the “Terminator”) is marvelous at high

power. You can see mountains, ridges and craters jump out at you due to the highlights. Similarly,

you can move up to higher magnifications on the planets and nebulae. Star clusters and individual

stars are best viewed through the low power no matter what.

4. The recurring astronomical theater we call the night sky is an ever-changing billboard. In other

words, the same movie does not play all the time. Rather, the positions of the stars change not

only hourly as they seem to rise and set, but also throughout the year. As the earth orbits the sun

our perspective on the stars changes on a yearly cycle about that orbit. The reason the sky seems

to move daily just as the sun and the moon “move” across our sky is that the earth is rotating about

its axis. As a result you may notice that after a few minutes or a few seconds depending on what

power you are viewing at, the objects in your telescope will move. At higher magnifications especially,

you will notice that the moon or Jupiter will “race” right out of the field of view. To compensate,

just move your telescope to “track” it in the necessary path.

1. Your telescope is a very sensitive instrument. For best results and fewer vibrations set your

telescope up on a level location on the ground rather than your concrete driveway or your
wooden deck. This will provide a more stable foundation for viewing, especially if you’ve
drawn a crowd with your new telescope.

2. If possible view from a location that has relatively few lights. This will allow you to see much

fainter objects. You’d be surprised how much more you’ll see from your local lake or park
when compared to a backyard in the city.

3. Using your telescope out a window is NEVER recommended.

4. View objects that are high in the sky if possible. Waiting until the object rises well above the

horizon will provide a brighter and crisper image. Objects on the horizon are viewed through
several layers of earth’s atmosphere. Ever wonder why the moon appears orange as it sets on
the horizon? It’s because you are looking through a considerable more amount of atmosphere
than you would directly overhead. (Note: If objects high in the sky are distorted or wavy, you
are probably viewing on a very humid night.) During nights of unstable atmosphere, viewing
through a telescope can be frustrating if not impossible. Astronomers refer to crisp, clear
nights as nights of “good seeing.”

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