How to use a telescope - So you’ve got your first telescope? You must be excited to put your first step into the realm of astronomy and explore the wonderful cosmos now.

No doubt, it’s exciting to explore the universe with your gear, but there is more to it than merely directing your telescope and crossing your fingers because astronomy can be a bit difficult activity to get into.

No worries, though; this tutorial will walk you through all the components of your telescope and teach you all you need to know about exploring the universe like an expert!

Stick with me to find out!

Parts of a telescope

Before we jump into the step-by-step guide on using a telescope, it is important to understand the various parts that work together to make the telescope functional.

The main parts of the telescope are:

• Lenses
• Mirrors
• Eyepiece
• Structural Support
• Telescope Tube
• Finderscope

How to use a telescope- A step by step guide

Here’s an easy step-by-step guide on using a telescope to make your first experience worth enjoying.

Putting your telescope together

The initial step in using a telescope is assembling the necessary equipment. Ensure that you are placing the telescope in an area that is leveled and have adequate lighting. Give yourself ample space and exercise great patience. After assembling everything, spend some time to familiarize yourself with its features.

Adjusting the finder

The next step is adjusting your finder properly. Once you have focused on your object, you will only need to make slight finder modifications. You must align your finder with your telescope before using it. This sounds difficult, but it is easy.

Using the telescope finder

It’s the most critical step. Look into the eyepiece of your telescope after manually aiming it. If the target is not in the field of vision, use the telescope’s slow-motion control knobs or dials to move it.

Even after you have focused on your target using the finder, begin with the lowest magnification.

Keeping it focused

As magnification increases, you must continually change your focus to see clearly what you are looking at. When increasing the telescope’s magnification, it is necessary to refocus the equipment.

Increasing the magnification

Increase the magnification once you have centered your target with a lesser magnification and viewed it perfectly. Re-center the image, refocus and continue until the required magnification is achieved.