Meade Infinity 80mm User Manual - Page 8

Have a good time when you're observ- 6 ing. You may not know everything that there is to know about a telescope or what all the sights in the universe are, but that's OK. Just point and observe at first. You will enjoy your telescope even more as you learn more about it. But don't be scared off by difficult terms or complicated procedures. Don't panic! Just relax and enjoy your scope. observe when it is light. Pick out an easy object to observe: A distant mountain, a large tree, a lighthouse or skyscraper make excellent targets. Point the optical tube so it lines up with your object. Unlock the lock knob: To move the telescope horizontally you will need to unlock the horizontal lock knob (just rotate to unlock or lock; when locking, only tighten to a "firm feel," do not over tighten). You will begin to grow and learn more about astronomy the more you observe. Browse the internet or go to the library and read some books about the stars and planets. Read about astronomers of old. Many of them had telescopes no bigger than the one you are using right now. Galileo, who is one of the first astronomers to use a telescope, discovered four of the moons of Jupiter with Use the viewfinder: If you have not done so, align the viewfinder (2) with the telescope's eyepiece (1) as described earlier. Look through the viewfinder until you can see the object. It will be easier to locate an object using the viewfinder rather than locating with the eyepiece. Line up the object using the viewfinders red dot. a telescope about the same size as yours (and his didn't even focus very well!). Look through the eyepiece: Once you have the object lined up in the viewfind- OBSERVING Observe during the daytime: Try out your er, look through the optical tube's eyepiece. If you have aligned your viewfinder, you will see the object in your eyepiece. telescope during the daytime at first. It is easier to learn how it operates and how to Focus: Look through the eyepiece and prac- Looking at or near the Sun will cause irreversible damage to your eye. Do not point this telescope at or near the Sun. Do not look through the telescope as it is moving. tice focusing on the object you have chosen. Try out the coarse and fine adjustment controls: Practice using the fine adjustment control (11 & 12) to move the telescope. These can come in very handy, especially when you wish to move the telescope in very small (fine control) steps. Observe the Moon: When you feel comfortable with the viewfinder, the eyepieces, the locks and the adjustment controls, you will be ready to try out the telescope at night. The Moon is the best object to observe the TOO MUCH POWER? Can you ever have too much power? If the type of power you're referring to is eyepiece magnification, yes you can! The most common mistake of the beginning observer is to "overpower" a telescope by using high magnifications which the telescope's aperture and atmospheric conditions cannot reasonably support. Keep in mind that a smaller, but bright and well-resolved image is far superior to one that is larger, but dim and poorly resolved. Powers above 400x should be employed only under the steadiest atmospheric conditions.