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Objects to Observe:
The Moon
is one of the easiest and most interesting targets to view with your telescope. Lunar
craters, “seas” (relatively flat large dark gray areas filled with ancient lava flows), and even
mountain ranges can all be clearly seen from a distance of 238,000 miles away! With its ever-
changing phases, you’ll get a new view of the Moon every night it’s up. Make sure to observe the
Moon when it is well above the horizon to get the sharpest images. The best time to observe is
during a partial phase, that is, when the Moon is
not
full. During partial phases, shadows are cast on
the surface, which reveals more detail, especially right along the border between the dark and light
portions of the disk (called the “terminator”). Use the Map on the telescope tube to find the major
craters and features.
The Planets
do not stay at “fixed” locations like the stars do. To find them you should refer to the
Sky Calendar (telescope.com), or to charts published monthly in
Astronomy, Sky & Telescope
, or
Astronomy Magazines and other websites. Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn are the brightest objects in
the sky after the Sun and the Moon.
Stars:
Even powerful telescopes cannot magnify a star to appear as more than a point of light. You
can, however, enjoy the different colors of the stars and locate many pretty double and multiple
