Align Your Finderscope
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Align Your Finderscope
Have you ever looked through the finderscope of your telescope as you've located the North Star and centered the image only to find it is off center when you look in the eyepiece? The solution to the problem lies in aligning your finderscope. Take these steps to proceed:
1. To align your finderscope, first find an outdoor area where you have a clear view for a minimum of one mile and set up your telescope.
2. Choose an easily identifiable fixed object in the distance such as a singular tree or building and make sure you center it in your telescope eyepiece.
3. Check first with a low power eyepiece, then with a high power eyepiece to ensure you have your object dead center in view.
4. If your object remains in center, lock your telescope adjustments in place and then check the eyepiece once again to see if you have the object centered.
5. The next step for you will be to adjust your finderscope. Most telescopes have three or six adjusting screws and corresponding locking nuts on the finderscope. Gently loosen the screws while locking the nuts in order to move your finderscope.
6. Make the adjustments necessary to center the object in your finderscope so that it is identical to the view you see in your telescope eyepiece and tighten the screws.
7. Finally, make a last check to ensure you have your view in center when you look in your eyepiece. If everything is aligned, you can tighten the locking nuts.
| Guru Spotlight |
| Joe Wallace |
