Why is the View Upside-Down?
When.you.look.through.your.Astroscan.at.objects.on.the.
ground,.the.first.thing.you’ll.notice.is.that.they.appear.
upside-down..Basically.all.optical.imaging.systems.form.
a.picture.that’s.inverted..(This.includes.the.human.eye.
–.everything.you.see.is.upside-down.on.the.retina,.but.
the.brain.switches.it.upright!)..Binoculars.and.spotting.
scopes.have.built-in.“erecting.prisms”.so.that.the.image.
seen.is.right-side.up..But.these.additional.optical.parts.
reduce.the.amount.of.light.transmitted,.and.although.the.
light.loss.is.small.and.insignificant.for.daytime.viewing,.at.
night.astronomers.need.to.collect.as.much.light.from.dim.
celestial.objects.as.possible..And.it.matters.little.to.them.
if. these. objects. are. seen. inverted.. (Even. most. Moon.
maps.have.south.at.the.top.rather.than.north.because.
of.this,.including.the.one.appearing.in.the.section.on.the.
Moon.in.this.Guide.)
As.shown.in.the.illustration.below,.you.can.get.the.image.
upright.by.moving.around.to.the.front.of.the.telescope.
Terrestrial Use
A
B
C
A
B
C
A
B
C
and.viewing.with.your.back.to.the.object.you’re.watching,.
taking.care.not.to.stand.in.front.of.the.telescope.itself!.
A.much.better.alternative.is.the.Edmund.In-Optical-Path.
Roof.Prism.Erector.available.for.the.Astroscan.which.is.
really.a.“must”.if.you’re.doing.extensive.daytime.viewing.
(see.the.“Accessories”.section)..Simply.insert.this.device.
into.the.bottom.of.the.focusing.tube.and.the.image.you’ll.
see.will.appear.correct.and.upright..This.device.performs.
best.with.the.15.mm.(30X).Plossl.eyepiece..When.used.
with.the.28.mm.(16X).Plossl.the.very.edges.of.your.field.of.
view.will.be.dark,.but.the.rest.of.the.view.will.be.clear.and.
sharp..(Also,.as.previously.mentioned,.on.bright,.sunny.
days.at.16X.you.may.notice.a.fuzzy.spot.that.seems.to.
move.about.the.eyepiece.field..This.is.the.shadow.of.the.
small.diagonal.mirror,.and.completely.disappears.under.
dim-light.conditions.as.the.pupil.of.your.eye.opens.much.
wider.at.night..This.is.the.case.whether.the.Astroscan.is.
used.with.or.without.the.erector.)
To get the image upright, move around to the front of the telescope and view with your back to
the object you’re watching, taking care not to stand in front of the telescope itself!