basic astronomy help?!

[mindimplode]

I've just bought a cheapo telescope and set it up according to the (worryingly flimsy) instruction manual. The directions inside are non-existent and the man in the shop didn't have a clue, so I was wondering if anyone had any tips for a novice star-gazer?!

[CT]

How big is it, in terms of mirror or lens size?
Line it up during the day, if you have a finder scope. Poin t the telescope at an object, say a distant building, then line up your finder scope at the same point. Then if you want to find an object in the night sky it'll make it easier. You can use the finder scope to get the astronomical object into the field of view of the telescope.
To start with. I'd try lunar observing. An easy enough target and well worth looking at.

[jake-the-peg]

Good advise about setting the finder - you'll find that setting that up (and not knocking it) makes things a whole lot easier.

Did it come with interchangable eye pieces? If so by changing these you change the magnification of the object you're looking at. Remember thuogh as the magnification increases it appears dimmer and it becomes more likely that you may have to search about for the object because the finder isn't aligned perfectly. So use the lowest magnification and center the object before increasing the maginifaction. Remember to refocus as when you change eyepieces.

Remember astronomical telescopes show the object inverted or upside down - this isn't an oversight it's just that you don't want to sqander any precious light by adding lenses just to show something "upright"

I'd also recommend one of those planispheres. A sky map with a movable mask that you can set to a date and it'll show you what's in the night sky.

Final point remember that those photographs you may have seen of things like the Orion nebulae were taken on huge telescopes over a long time so don't be disapointed if you don't see flowing clouds of colour.

Very few objects show significant colour through a telecope.

I don't know if Saturn is visible at the moment but the rings are a special sight when you first see them and over a number of nights you should be able to see the moons of Jupiter going around. These gave us our first measurement of the speed of light and got Galileo in so much bother.

Enjoy

[mibn2cweus]

Never point optics towards the sun without a solar filter. Stay away from trees because they can weep and spot your lenses.

[mindimplode]

it's a 700 x 60 mm and it came with a x1.5 and a x2 extension (of some kind) and 2 different eyepieces. Ive lined up the finderscope and intend to obseve lunar stuff soon! cheers guys!