First, pick out an easy to find object. Observing land objects during the daytime is a good way to become accustomed to the operation of the telescope. At night try observing the Moon at first or a bright star.
Never point your telescope near or at the sun. Observing the sun through a telescope will cause instant and irreversible eye damage.
To center an object in the main telescope, first use the viewfinder to find the object you wish to observe.
When the object is centered in the viewfinder, it should then be somewhere in the main telescope's field of view.
If you are observing an astronomical object you will notice that the object will begin to move slowly through the field of view. This motion is caused by the rotation of the earth and makes an object appear to be moving. To keep the objects in the telescopes field of view, simply move the telescope up or down, or side to side. At higher powers, astronomical objects will seem to move through the field more rapidly.
If an object starts to become fuzzy as magnification is increased, back down to a lower power. The atmosphere is not steady enough to support higer powers.
Avoid observing sites where vibrations may cause image movement. Viewing from atop of a tall building may also cause image movement.
Allow several minutes for your eyes to become accustomed to the dark before attempting any serious observations. You can use a red-filtered flashlightto protect your night vision when reading star maps or adjusting the telescope. One can be easily made by taping red cellophane over the flashlights lens.
Avoid setting up your telescope inside and viewing through a open window. Images will appear blurred or distorted due to the temperature differences between the inside and outside air. Allow your telescope to reach the surrounding outside temperature before starting an observation session.
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