Re: Need help setting up my TASCO Telescope

On Jul 5, 10:46 pm, Hibb <whatsamata...@xxxxxxx> wrote:
On Jul 5, 1:18?pm, ko57 <k...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:





David,
I'll say like Larry, try the lowest power ep you have, hopefully a 20
or so like he mentioned. Let us know how you did, and that did sound
like Venus.

After a search on Google that seems to be a refractor, a 60mm f/11.7
or so, I saw both red and black models.

I have a small 60mm Tasco refractor, an f/15, it is capable-don't
listen to all the "Trashco" stories-along with a few other small 60mm
telescopes, it does well. You should get some nice moon views, the
planets-Venus, Saturn & Jupiter and some of their moons, double stars,
and a host of other objects in the sky.

If you don't have any books, I'd get at least something like "Turn
Left at Orion", a good book on starhopping, perhaps a night sky atlas.
I use the "National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Night Sky", and
I just saw at Amazon: "The Next Step: Finding and Viewing Messier's
Objects", it gets 5 stars from all 8 reviewers, looks like something I
could use:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1928771122/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_4/103-6022...

I enjoyed seeing your post and others from beginners as it takes me
back a few short years ago when I first started into this hobby. I'm
in no way advanced as far as ID'ing objects but have fun none the
less. I haven't been out lately but hopefully will do so tonight or
very soon.

Keep us posted...

ko

Thanks Larry G and KO.

I played with it some more today and figured some things out. I was
able to view Venus. It was a blurry blob tho. I did not expect it to
be much more than that.

I think this one is a 525X scope when using the 3X extender with 4mm
lens. I started out with the 25mm lens tonight and once I got that to
work I moved up to the 12.5mm and then tried the 4mm but I did not get
to the 1.5X erecting eyepiece or the 3X Barlow before the "skeeters"
started eating me up.

There was no moon tonight so I think I might have better luck
practicing viewing the moon since it is closer and brighter. It was
also a little hazy with some light clouds tonight so it was not the
best viewing conditions.

I am wondering if I am missing a piece tho. I used the Diagonal viewer
but the Lenses don't seem to fit in the viewer very good. The place
where the lens inserts into the diagonal viewer is much bigger so the
lens fits in very loose.

Also, I need to figure out how to align the finderscope with the main
scope. They are not even close at this point.

It looks like my wife bought this for me around 1998 since there was a
calender of astronomical events for 1998 and 1999 in the box.

Thanks, David- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -



To align the finderscope with the scope -- use a fixed, immovable
terrestrial object and do it during the day. Find an object that's a
few miles away -- a TV or radio broadcast tower, a cell tower, a
unique tree on a ridgeline, some unmistakable object that's a few
miles away. Then -- use your lowest power eyepiece -- that's the one
with the largest number, 25mm -- and center the distant object in the
main scope. This will take some time, just be patient. THEN -- be
very careful not to bump the scope -- and fiddle with the adjustment
knobs on the finderscope to pull it into alignment. This whole
process will take some time -- plan at least half an hour -- because
you'll bump the main scope out of alignment, then you'll have to find
the object again, then fiddle with the finder, etc., etc., etc.


Don't try to push that scope to maximum magnification. In another
post, someone told you the focal length of the scope -- I don't recall
what it is. Magnification = focal length of scope/focal length of
eyepiece. So -- if the scope focal length is 800mm, with a 25mm
eyepiece, the magnification is 800/25 = 32X. A focal length of 900mm
with the 25mm eyepiece = 900/25=36X, etc., etc.

Maximum mag is approximately 50 X scope aperture in inches. So -- a
60mm scope is approx 2.5 inches. 2.5 X 50 = 125X -- which means that
125X is about the best you'll do with this scope.

125X is perfectly fine for planets -- Venus -- which you have already
located -- goes through phases like the moon -- it becomes full and
round, then slowly becomes a crescent. You should be able to clearly
see the crescent shape at something like 40X.

Try to locate Jupiter -- after about 10:00 pm local time, look in the
southern sky, about 30 degrees above the horizon -- Jupiter is the
brightest object there -- it may be slightly SE or SW depending on the
time. Start with lowest power. You'll see Jupiter -- a big ball --
and four little, tiny dots of light around Jupiter -- these are
Jupiter's four Galilean moons. Their position relative to Jupiter
will change every day as they orbit around Jupiter.

The Tasco scope is not a top-quality scope but if it's what you have,
it's what you have. Use it and ignore the self-appointed purists who
turn up their noses at it.

.

Relevant Pages

  • ASTRO: Modest return to the Sky
    ... I also picked up an AstroTech 66 ED refractor in trade for an eyepiece and I've been using it occasionally to look at the moon and as a spotting scope on a Unistar Light Deluxe. ... It was early twilight and Antares was just visible with it's bright seasonal companion Jupiter, the moon to the south of both looming low on the horizon. ...
    (sci.astro.amateur)
  • Rosamond Report & Scope Review
    ... to see the moon and Jupiter. ... not alined with the main scope, ... sky and to see what the sky had to offer. ...
    (sci.astro.amateur)
  • Re: Rosamond Report & Scope Review
    ... I first found the finder was not alined with the main scope, so I told them how to do that in the daytime so it would be useable and also told them about the red dot finders on the market. ... We found Jupiter and I dug out my EP box and I tried my 12mm ortho and even my 10mm in his scope,and the worst was the 10mm, I could get a bigger jupiter but not it's bands at all. ... I gave them my FAQ card and told them to get the Astronomy magazine at the store to lean the sky and to see what the sky had to offer. ... The only image that was it's best was the moon and still about 1/2 the size of it in my scope with my 25mm EP. ...
    (sci.astro.amateur)
  • Re: C11 collimation woes
    ... image than the MN78 on a planet under such poor observing conditions. ... comparing just average to below average seeing conditions on Jupiter ... unobstructed scope -- even one with only a decent achromat objective, ... Then on rare occasions the C-11 will "do its stuff" and reveal a very ...
    (sci.astro.amateur)
  • Re: Need help setting up my TASCO Telescope
    ... I started out with the 25mm lens tonight and once I got that to ... To align the finderscope with the scope -- use a fixed, ... Tonight I viewed Venus and Jupiter. ...
    (sci.astro.amateur)