Telescope Basics • 25
With the telescope fully assembled and all the accessories attached you are
ready for your first look. Your first look should be done in the daytime when it
will be easier to locate the locking clamps and adjustment handles. This will
help to familiarize you with your telescope, thus making it easier to use at
night.
Daytime Observing
As mentioned in the introduction, your Celestron G-8 telescope works well as
a terrestrial spotting scope. When not used to examine objects in the night
sky, it can be used to study objects here on Earth.
WARNING !
NEVER POINT YOUR TELESCOPE AT THE SUN UNLESS YOU HAVE THE
PROPER MYLAR SOLAR FILTER. PERMANENT AND IRREVERSIBLE EYE
DAMAGE MAY RESULT AS WELL AS DAMAGE TO YOUR TELESCOPE.
ALSO, NEVER LEAVE YOUR TELESCOPE UNATTENDED DURING A
DAYTIME OBSERVING SESSION, ESPECIALLY WHEN CHILDREN ARE
PRESENT.
1.
Begin by finding a distant object that is fairly bright.
2.
Insert the eyepiece (one with a large focal length) into the telescope.
3.
Release the R.A. and DEC clamps and point the telescope at the object
you selected.
4.
Locate the object in your finder and lock the R.A. and DEC clamps.
5.
Use the slow motion knobs to center the object in the field of the finder.
6.
Once centered, look through the main optics and the object will be there (if
you aligned the finder first).
Try using optional eyepieces to see how the field changes with various magnifi-
cations. Casual terrestrial observing can be done with the telescope and
German mount placed on a flat, sturdy surface. In this configuration, the R.A.
and DEC slow motion knobs control the horizontal and vertical adjustments,
respectively.
The optical tube assembly, when mounted on a photographic tripod, functions
like an altazimuth telescope. Furthermore, the G-8, when removed from the
mount, operates like the optical tube assembly.
Your First Look
