Telescope question..?

Question

I got an early Christmas present and it was a Celestron PowerSeeker 127mm telescope and I am not sure how to use it and feel like I jumped in the deep end.

I am assuming the dial on the equatorial mount numbered from 0 to 90 is the degrees and if I am 37 sth from the equator I need to set it to 53 to point at the south something...

There are 2 other dials that I have nfi about and they are the right ascension setting circle and the declination setting circle. I would love if someone could help me figure out how to find a planet by using these settings because even though the moon is beautiful and exciting I really want to see the ISS on Boxing Day and the polar caps on Mars. TIA!!!

Sarah

Answer 1

Ignore the answers about Polaris, since you're in the Southern Hemisphere and can't see Polaris. (Hey guys, READ the question!) If you're at 37° S latitude, you should set the scale at the base of your mount to 37°, NOT 53°. You then need to point the polar axis (the main axis just above the latitude adjustment) at the south celestial pole (SCP). Having set the scale to 37° will get you to the right altitude for the SCP, but you need to figure out the correct azimuth (left to right) direction. In the Southern Hemisphere, there is no bright star near the SCP, so probably a compass is your best bet. If you look south at around 10 p.m. at this time of year, you'll see two bright stars about 60° up, Canopus on the left and Achernar on the right. The SCP is about half way between them, though much closer to the horizon. Once you have the mount pointing in this direction, don't move the tripod any more; all adjustments should be made with the other two axes on the mount.

Ignore the dials with numbers on them (setting circles). These are there mainly for decoration, to make the scope look "scientific" and aren't accurate enough to actually find anything!

To find Mars, turn around and look North. If you do this tonight, at 10 p.m., the Moon will be just about due north and about 30 degrees above the horizon. To its right and a bit higher you'll see a bright reddish star, Aldebaran, and further still to the right and a bit lower than the Moon, another reddish object, Mars. You can tell them apart because Aldebaran will probably be twinkling, Mars will shine with a steady light. As the night goes on, Mars will move slowly to the left and get higher in the sky, being at its highest between midnight and 1 a.m. It will never rise more than 30° above the horizon. Look at it with your 20mm eyepiece. It will appear very small. Normally you should be able to use the other eyepiece and Barlow lens which came with your scope, but I'm sorry to say that these are of such poor quality that all you'll see is a blur. Stick to the 20mm eyepiece for the best views. At present only one polar cap is visible, and it's really tiny.

Right above Aldebaran and Mars is the famous constellation Orion, with three stars in a line forming Orion's Belt. I think these are called "The Frying Pan" in Australia. Above these three stars are three fainter stars (the handle of the frying pan). Take a look at the middle star of the "handle" and you're in for a treat! This is the Great Nebula in Orion, a huge cloud of gas where stars are being born.

You don't need a telescope to observe the ISS. In fact, the ISS moves so fast that it's impossible to track with a telescope. Naked eye or binoculars are all you need.

Answer 2

Hi Sarah -

Welcome. You will enjoy this thoroughly, but there will also be some frustration involved. That is part of the hobby. I interpreted your question to mean that you are located 37 degrees south of the equator. If that is true, you will never be able to see, much less polar align with Polaris.

The previous advice is still sound, although it must be modified slightly (ADDED: I was referring to the first 4 answers - Geoff had it right as usual). Read your manual. Take your time and set up your scope during the daytime so you understand it (don't look at the sun, of course). Go to a local astronomy club observing session. They can help you A LOT and they will be glad to do so.

I suspect that you will need to set your equatorial mount to your latitude - sounds like that is 37 degrees, then set the tripod as level as possible and point the mount (not the scope) as close as you can to due south. I don't know if this scope has an alignment sight - if so, you can use it to point to the south celestial pole - but that's a little tough to locate precisely without a "pole star" and you do not need that much precision since you are not yet taking detailed photos. Once you have the latitude set and the mount pointed south, it should be easier to find and track objects manually. I would not bother with the setting circles - they are more trouble than they are worth. Your best bet is to get some good basic charts for the Southern sky and to star hop using your finderscope. Objects that should be easy to find include Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, the Moon (of course), several double stars, and some beautiful clusters - I'm jealous because you can see Omega Centauri! Good Luck - have patience - and have fun!

Answer 3

You should set it to your latitude (37 degrees in your case) and point it at the north star.

Mars is that really bright star in the northeast early in the evening, just point the telescope visually.

The ISS will move over your location on rare occasions, and it will pass over about as fast as a high flying airliner would, taking less than 5 minutes to cross the whole sky. Don't even try to track it with your telescope; it would be way too difficult.

I suggest you ignore the setting circles because they are not accurate enough to really use. On such a small telescope, especially a portable telescope that will not have the polar axis aligned perfectly, they can be off by several degrees. I consider them more decoration than anything else. Just use star charts and star hop to dim things like nebulae or star clusters.

Answer 4

Hi. Good advice from answer 1. RA stands for 'Right Ascension' and the 'Declination' is height above the CELESTIAL equator. If you follow the guide from answer 1 and point your telescope axis at Polaris (not exactly but close enough for now) then your Dec circle will read 90. 0 degrees is on the celestial equator. The RA is how much the background stars are from 0 degrees RA. Ask more questions. We love this!

Edit. You do not need to do ANYTHING to find Mars. It is the very bright reddish-orange 'star' that rises from the east and is overhead at about midnight. Just point your telescope and look.

Answer 5

I recomend that you join a local astronomy club or astronomical society. You will meet a lot of new friends who will be very helpful teaching you how to use your scope and how to find the treasures that the sky holds for you. You can go to star parties with them and I guarantee that you will learn something new every time that you venture out. Hint: They will be especially helpful if you take cookies with you to share at the star parties.

The cost of the membership will be some of the very best value for your money that you will ever spend. Best wishes to you and your new hobby!

Answer 6

Out of curiosity, where on the interesting half of the Earth are you?

Yep, read the instructions carefully, but also find someone who is experienced, such as at a club. If you tell me where you are, I'll try to put you in touch with those who know. You will have fun, trust me.

Answer 7

Welcome to the world of star-gazing!! First check if you have a manual along with the telescope. If the setup is complicated, there is a huge probability that there will be a manual attached. You can read about the product from http://www.celestron.com/c2/product.php?CatID=5&ProdID=7. The manual is available there for download. It will explain how to setup the system.