14
Hints and Tricks
Marking with luminous paint: As noted above in the section about assembly it is very helpful to mark the
positions of the altitude wheels and the trusses. This helps when assembling the telescope at night and keeps
collimation issues at a minimum.
We also recommend marking your screws with a patch of luminous paint because it makes finding lost parts a lot
easier to find when dropped in the grass and often makes it unnecessary to use a flashlight, which would ruin the
night vision of other observers.
Image orientation: You may have noticed that objects appear to be upside down and mirrored in your telescope.
This is the case in almost every astronomical telescope and does not cause any problem during astronomical
observations.
Moving the telescope: Because of the Earth’s rotation all objects will drift across the field of view. To compensate
for this movement you have to move the telescope smoothly and slowly. The higher the magnification the more
accurate this tracking movement has to be. Another solution is to place the object on the eastern rim of the field of
view and let it drift across the field, then reposition it on the eastern rim again. However – this method only works
with good eyepieces that are delivering a sharp image up to the edge of the field.
Vibrations: Try to avoid touching the eyepiece or telescope during observations. This will cause unsteady views.
Night vision: Give your eyes some time to adapt to the darkness. This takes about 20-30 minutes after an exposure
to a bright light – even if it is a short exposure. Use a dim light with a red filter to read star charts or draw objects –
dim red light does not influence your eye’s adaption very much.
Horizon viewing: Planets and other objects that are close to the horizon are severely influenced by air movement.
It is much better to time your observations in a way that those objects are close to the meridian (overhead), so
that they are on their highest position possible. If the image is dim or moving too fast to easily track, use a smaller
magnification. Using too much magnification is a mistake that is made very often by beginners.
Warm clothing: Even in the summer the nights may get very cold during clear nights, especially in the mountains.
Always remember to bring warm clothing — thick jackets, beanies, gloves, winter shoes and thick socks — even if
you were sweating during the day. It is hard to enjoy even the best night when you are freezing!
Explore your observing site during the day: The ideal site should be far off of frequently used streets and other
light sources that would prevent your eyes from adapting to the dark. Keep in mind that it is likely to get foggy
in the vicinity of open water, such as river valleys or lakes. The ground should be solid and relatively flat. You can
observe in the city, but try to get to a place some distance away, where you can see the Milky Way if possible.
You can get really good conditions as close as 50 km outside of cities. If relocating to a more rural area is not a
possibility, try to position your scope away from as many artificial light sources as possible. An old astronomers
quote says: “ You cannot really replace a dark sky by anything other than a darker sky”
