Meade LightBridge 12 inch User Manual - Page 15

Venus, in its thin, crescent phase. Saturn is the perhaps the most unforgettable sight to see in a telescope. SOME TIPS By the way, you might have noticed something strange when you looked through your eyepiece. The image is upside down, and it is also reversed. That means reading words can be a problem or viewing objects on the ground can be a problem. But it has no affect on astronomical objects. Objects move in the eyepiece: If you are observing an astronomical object (the Moon, a planet, star, etc.) you will notice that the object will begin to move slowly through the telescopic field of view. This movement is caused by the rotation of the Earth and makes an object move through the telescope's field of view. To keep astronomical objects centered in the field, simply move the telescope on one or both of its axes- vertically and/or horizontally as needed. At higher powers, astronomical objects will seem to move through the field of view of the eyepiece more rapidly. Place the object to be viewed at the edge of the field and, without touching the telescope, watch it drift through the field to the other side before repositioning the telescope so that the object to be viewed is again placed at the edge of the field, ready to be further observed. Vibrations: Avoid touching the eyepiece while observing through the telescope. Vibrations resulting from such contact will cause the image to move. Avoid observing sites where vibrations cause image movement (for example, near railroad tracks). Viewing from the upper floors of a building may also cause image movement. Let your eyes "dark-adapt:" Allow five or ten minutes for your eyes to become "dark adapted" before observing. Use a red-filtered flashlight to protect your night vision when reading star maps, or inspecting the telescope. Do not use use a regular flashlight or turn on other lights when observing with a group of other astronomers. You can make your own red filtered flashlight by taping red cellophane over a flashlight lens. Viewing through windows: Avoid setting up the telescope inside a room and observing through an opened or closed window pane. Images may appear blurred or distorted due to temperature differences between inside and outside air. Also, it is a good idea to allow your telescope to reach the ambient (surrounding) outside temperature before starting an observing session. When to observe: Planets and other objects viewed low on the horizon often lack sharpness-the same object, when observed higher in the sky, will appear sharper and have greater contrast. Try reducing power (change your eyepiece) if your image is fuzzy or shimmers. Keep in mind that a bright, clear, but smaller image is more interesting than a larger, dimmer, fuzzy one. Using too high a power eyepiece is one of the most common mistakes made by new astronomers. Dress Warm: Even on summer nights, the air can feel cool or cold as the night wears on. It is important to dress warm or to have a sweater, jacket, gloves, etc., nearby. Know your observing site: If possible, know the location where you will be observing. Pay attention to holes in the ground and other obstacles. Is it a location where wild animals, such as skunks, snakes, etc., may appear? Are there viewing obstructions such as tall trees, street lights, headlights and so forth? The best locations are dark locations, the darker the better. Deep space objects are easiest to see under dark skies. But it is still possible to observe even in a city. Surf the Web and visit your local library: The internet contains a huge amount of astronomical information, both for children and adults. Check out astronomy books from your library. Look for star charts-these are available on a monthly basis in Astronomy and Sky and Telescope magazines. CARE OF OPTICS Your Meade telescope is a fine instrument. With reasonable care, it will last a lifetime. Maintenance guidelines include: a. Avoid cleaning the telescope's optics: A little dust on the front surface of the telescope's correcting lens causes virtually no degradation of image quality and should not be considered reason to clean the lens. Looking at or near the Sun will cause irreversable damage to your eye. Do not point this telescope at or near the Sun. Do not look through the telescope as it is moving. 15