How can I use correctly a Tasco Telescope?!?

Question

When I am trying to see a star I just can't get it right, I think that my telescope is align right but it ain't. And does anybody know where I an get a map of the sky at night, you know a map that tells where is a certain planet or star in the sky? Can I print one on the Internet on Google?

Answer 1

It would help if you mentioned the model.  Saying Tasco could mean nearly anything.  The skymaps link is good.  Print out a new one each month.  Use the list of naked eye objects first.  Then graduate to binocular objects.  If you live near a city, that may be as far as you go.

There are several free planetarium program. Stellarium is good.  Celestia is good.  Kstars is good - Linux usually comes with it.

Visit or join a local astronomy club.  They can help.

Answer 2

Probably the best place to start is by reading the book NightWatch by Terence Dickinson (Firefly). He explains how to use any telescope in clear language. As others have mentioned, Tasco telescopes are of poor quality, but still should be able to show you the surface of the Moon, Jupiter and its moons, and Saturn's rings. Align the finder scope by pointing the main telescope at a distant object (at least a quarter of a mile away) and then adjusting the finder screws so that the object is centered in the finder.

Answer 3

You can buy star charts from any place like Amazon or even the book stores in the malls.

You DO know that is an ASTRONOMICAL TELESCOPE and the images are UPSIDE DOWN and BACKWARDS.... right?

Answer 4

Instructions for Tasco Telescope:

Carefully remove telescope from box and unwrap packaging material.    Take optical tube assembly (OTA) and carefully place in a lined trash receptacle.   If wobbly tripod (WT) is wood, insert into woodburning furnace; otherwise, deposit in container containing OTA.  Use box and packaging material to ship Ebay sales.  Buy a pair of binoculars and observe nighttime sky.

Answer 5

Unfortunately, Tasco is about the worst telescope brand out there.  But it doesn't mean that it is completely useless.  You will be able to enjoy nice views Moon's craters, Jupiter and its moons, even Saturn's rings.

First, get to know you telescope in daylight.  If your telescope has a finderscope, make sure it is properly aligned.  In broad daylight, point your telescope at a distant conspicuous object (a tree, a building, light post) using the lowest power eyepiece (the one with the biggest number).  First make sure that the object is centered in the field of view of the eyepiece, and then check if it is also centered in the finderscope.  If not, adjust the finderscope until it is perfectly aligned with the main scope.  Make sure that they are really perfectly aligned, "close" is not good enough.

Once you are done with the alignment of the finderscope, try different eyepieces.  Even with less-then-perfect optics you should be able to get decent images with magnification up to about twice the aperture of your scope in millimeters.  Forget the advertising claims of 475x magnification.  If your scope has 50mm aperture, your maximum useful magnification will be 100x, if the scope is 60mm, the max. magnification will be about 120x.  Anything higher than that will result in blurry, dim images, even in plain daylight.

Once you have leaned how to use your scope with confidence in daylight (i.e. your finderscope is aligned, you can quickly locate objects with it, and know how to use the different eyepieces to obtain different magnifications), you are ready to try it at night.  Start with the Moon - it's the easiest object to find (and appreciate).  Always start with the eyepiece that gives the lowest magnification, and once you have centered your scope on the object of interest, gradually increase the magnification by using different eyepieces.

For other object you need a star chart.  You can print very good star charts for free from www.skymaps.com.  They publish a new map every month.  In addition to the star chart, it includes notes about relevant astronomincal phenomena of the month, and a list of interesting objects.  Even with your small scope you should be able to see all the objects identified as "binocular objects" in the chart (telescopic objects are usually reserved for scope 150mm and larger).

First, learn how to identify constellation and bright naked-eye stars using the star chart.  Then, use these bright naked-eye objects to guide you towards the object you want to see.  Again, start with bright, easy to located objects such as Jupiter - it's a perfect target in the evening sky these days.

Also, try to find if there is an amateur astronomy club in your vecinity.  Hands-on training from an experienced amateur astronomer will help you to learn quickly and avoid the frustrations associated with early failures that are normal in any learning process.

Answer 6

OK--  do you have a finder scope attached to the telescope? If you do line it up during the day on a distant object-- so it matches what you see in the eyepiece.

Then go to http://skymaps.com  and download a free monthly star chart--

and go to Stellarium and download the free planetarium software and install it on your computer.

http://www.stellarium.org/