Question by ozzrya91: Meade ETX-80AT-TC Astro Telescope with AutoStar?
I just got the Meade ETX-80AT-TC Astro Telescope with AutoStar for Christmas today and I am toying around with it trying to figure out how exactly it works and how to see stars, planets, the moon etc. but when I tried looking through it and adjusting it I wasnt able to see anything really and I even waited for a little while for my eyes to get used to the dark and it isnt cloudy or too lit up where I am directing my telescope….any tips from personal experience or telescope knowledge in general someone out there might have to help me to see things in the night sky?
Best answer:
Answer by Starrysky
I have an ETX-90AT with Autostar.
You must learn to set the scope to the sky with instructions that came with the scope.
New scopes must have the motors trained (jogged left, right, up down at a target) first. Then a setup with true North, level, and correct time, location, date entered. Then, you will be shown star #1, align to it, and star #2, and align to it. After that, you can find objects using the Autostar.
Even with all this, an object may not be close to where the scope points. That is what the red-dot finder is for. The finder must be aligned with the main scope. That can be done on the moon this week, or a distant landmark. Move scope to target star or planet with aid of dot. Then, use lowest power (biggest number on eye lens). After centering, hold down ENTER button 3 seconds, and agree to synch to object by another press of ENTER button. Now use higher power (smaller number on eye lens). That will do for moon, Jupiter, other planets and bright stars.
The Meade list of objects is extensive, but the 80mm lens is not large enough to see the fainter ones easily. Concentrate on the brightest ones first. Planets, bright stars, star clusters, big bright Nebulas, bright galaxies will do fine at first. Later, you can do dark adaptation, averted vision, and other techniques for seeing faint objects.
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