My daughter got a telescope for Christmas- finally had a clear sky and took it out...we couldn't see a thing. (and yes, we took the cap off)?
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answers:
CarolOklaNola say: READ the instruction manual. You have to and then FOCUS the lens. Try to dit during the day on a building or tree or bush. And do it be shocked when the image is upside down . Instruction manuals are online now.
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William say: There could be a number of problems. Here are some suggestions to determine what might be wrong:
Start out during the day and focus on terrestrial objects. You should be able to get a focus.
The optics may be out of collimation, or alignment. You can get a very basic idea by looking at the mirror (or the lens if it a refractor). Aim it at a light and put it way out of focus. You should be able to tell if it is out of collimation because the out-of-focus image will be distorted/elongated or off-center. If it is circular and centered, the optics are okay.
One common issue with beginner telescopes is they are almost always sold with eyepieces that are too powerful for the telescope- a tiny FOV (Field of View), magnification that only gives a distorted fuzzy image because a telescope's real power lies in its aperture not the eyepieces, as well as being very dependent on atmospheric stability. You may wish to buy eyepieces with a lower magnification and wider FOV.
Take the telescope outside and use it on the Moon. Even if the focus is way off, the bright light will be obvious and once it is in the eyepiece you can get a focus. With stars and even planets, an eyepiece way out of focus will be especially difficult to use- start out with the Moon. The Moon is also easy to "gunsight," which means sighting along the tube without using the finder. On very bright Moonlit nights, you can even use the shadow of the Moon to align the telescope.
Once you get a good focus on the Moon, try a bright planet or star. Right now, unfortunately the planets are only visible in the pre-dawn sky. But Sirius is still up after sunset.
Astronomy is a skill that must be developed. I always advise those just starting out to begin with a pair of binoculars. This is a good way to become familiar with some basic astronomy, understanding turbulence, transparency, and learning a few basic objects such as the Pleiades, the Alpha Persei Moving Cluster, the Orion Nebula, and some bright clusters like the Coathanger in Vulpecula or Ptolemy's Cluster in Sagittarius.
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Jeffrey K say: Ask someone at a local star party or science museum to show you how to use the telescope. Or take it to your high school science teacher. Most people are glad to help.
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Nyx say: Try pointing the scope at something during the day, like a tree, or utility pole that's a block or two away. If you see daylight, of any sort, then try focusing the scope until you see something sharply
You may also need to adjust the finderscope so that it, and the main scope line up on the same object. Use the lowest powered eyepiece (should be something like 25mm).
At night, point the scope at the Moon, since it's an easy target, and get everything adjusted.
If you don't see anything, then there's something wrong with the scope itself. See if it's still in warranty, and take it back to the store your bought it from.
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quantumclaustrophobe say: I'd find a local astronomy club - most colleges & a few high schools have them. Take the scope to one of their members - I'm sure they'll be glad to help out and show you how to use the scope.
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Valleycat1 say: Can you see anything when you look through it in daylight, pointed at the landscape or buildings around you? If not perhaps there is a protective film covering on one or both of the glass lenses.
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robert2020 say: Are you pointing at a black patch of sky and seeing nothing at all.? Find a known astronomical object that you can see with the naked eye and aim telescope at that.
Mars, Jupiter , Saturn, and Uranus at visible with unaided eye. Venus and Murcury at sunset and sunrise. Being planets they don't twinkle. And are round.
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Tom say: Did you AIM the telescope at anything-----you have to point it at what you are looking at----and sometimes that is tricky, moving the scope just a little can get you away from your target.
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Fox News Cultist say: Be sure to mention this to the flat earth society, it could be important evidence.
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Elaine M say: Get away from city lights, they do 'light pollution' and cut down on everything.
When you look at the moon make sure to check where the dark section is. I've seen half circles of lunar impacts gleaming like crescents along the dark edge where the sun's light still hits them.
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Acetek say: were you just pointing it at the sky and hoping for the best. if so then you are off to a bad start,
use the largest lens your have 20mm 25mm do not use the barlow lens or the smaller lenses.
right now in the early morning venus and jupiter in the east and the moon is up and full in the early evening. before you do anything during the day take the scope out and point it at a distant object like a tree.
does the finder scope and the telescope see the tree in the center of each. if not you need to adjust the finder scope to see what you see in the telescope. as close to center as you can get.
go for the moon and try for mars witch is in the west after sunset.
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