I've been given a telescope and it all seems a bit too technical for me!

[Nickywickywoo]

Hello!

I'm hoping someone out there will take pity on this poor novice and help me get started!

I've just been given a second hand (but I've been told rarely used) Meade 4504 telescope. I've been fascinated by astronomy since I was a child but my observations have never been anything more than naked eye. Now I've been given this telescope I'm raring to go but it's not the 'stick it on the tripod and look up' experience I thought it was going to be!

There was a bit of superficial damage to some of the accessories which I hope I have fixed and I don't think they should interfere with it working. I have downloaded a manual but it's 42 pages long and very daunting!

I didn't realise I have to 'balance' the telescope before I can use it. I intend to store the telescope in my shed and get it out as and when, so presumably I would need to rebalance it every time I want to use it? If so, I'm hoping this process gets quicker and easier with time and experience?

The telescope has got the Starfinder gizmo on it which I'm really looking forward to using to help me find things while I am getting used to their location in the sky. I guess I am just being like an impatient child with a new toy wanting to use it straight away!

Can anyone tell me if this is a half-decent telescope? I would particularly like to use it for observing planets.

Thank you for taking the time to read this!

Nicky

[bullettooth]

First of all, Welcome to the site and congrats on getting a nice scope.

The first thing you should do is set it up during the day, theres some nice video's on youtube on how to balance and how set up an EQ mount, then have a play about with it to see how it moves around and to familiarise yourself with it.

if you havent already, download stellarium. its free software for your pc that lets you see whats in the sky to look at in your current location. you dont have to limit yourself to planets and the moon.

Once you get the hang of it its pretty simple to use and find things to look at. (same with anything really, practise makes perfect )

oh collimation might be an issue too. there's plenty on this subject if you search the forum or do a google search.

hope you get on well with it and hope you get some nice clear skies.

[Capricorn]

Nice scope to be given and a reasonable start.

Being a reflector at some time you will have to delve into the black art of collimation, other wise described as tweeking everything in a controlled manner to get them all lined up. Ignore it for now but perhaps go locate Astro Babys site and see if she describes how to make and use a collimating cap. Cheap to make (nothing) and it may collimate it sufficently that you don't really need anything else.

Setting it up.

http://www.meade.com/manuals/TelescopeManuals/Reflectors/4504.pdf

That appears to be the instructions for it.

First get the mount pointed at Polaris. Actually better if you have some idea where Polaris is/should be and try during daylight. (Practise)

Put the scope on and set the weights to get a reasonable balance..

Aim scope at Polaris. (Or the pretend one)

Then supply all data to the handset and try a dummy align. You will have to have an idea of where a couple of stars should be to practise this. Or leave it until the evening when you can see some real stars.

Unfortunately explaining what to do is not easy.

I can set up my Meade by giving a dummy time and I read off of a planisphere what is where, so I do a dummy align that way during the day.

Are you near to Guildford ?

If so go locate the Guildford Astro Society and get to one of their evenings as they have nights/gatherings to help people with their scopes and set up. Someone showing you what to do is the best method.

The Meade handset can be set up in advance, it remembers the last location used except for Date and Time (DST).

So you can do all that sat down reading the instructions.

[NGC 1502]

Hi Nicky, and welcome to SGL, lots of folk here willing to help. The advice above to make contact with a club is good.

You only have to rebalance the scope if you remove the tube from the rings (the large ones that go around the main tube) You could put tape on the tube to indicate where it goes. To balance the other way is done by sliding the counterweight (that big lump that a newbie will wonder what it's for ) along the shaft. If you are keeping it in a shed you can leave the whole lot in one piece to save messing around, just carry it out in one piece. Larger scopes may be too heavy for that, but you should be fine with a 4.5" reflector. You can angle the tube vertically to get it through a door.

A 4.5" scope is capable of showing a great deal, even under a town sky - phases of Venus, Jupiter's main cloud bands and 4 moons, Saturn and it's ring system and Titan, perhaps one or two of the fainter moons under good conditions, Uranus and Neptune as very tiny discs if you can track them down. Lots more of course, many deep sky objects, try the Messiers first.

Have a go at some double stars, Albireo is a good start.

The moon will be spectacular, enough to keep you going for a very long time.

Have fun with your new scope, Ed.

[Astro_Baby]

Unfortunately telescopes arent really plug and play things - they are more akin to a fishing rod, you have the rod now you have to learn how to fish. It comes with time and practice. The best advice I could give is read the manual from cover to cover a few times and practice with the scope during daylight hours what you have to do to get it set-up.

Dont look at the sun whatever you do - its dangerous and makes you go blind - think about what a magnifying glass does to ants - thats what a telescope will do to your eyaballs looking at the sun. YOu could look at distant objects though to get yourself familiar with how the scope works and moves.

Getting it all worked out in your head during the day is a lot easier and you will get familiar with the scope and how it works. Be prepared for a few disappointments along the way because this stuff is seldom ever straightforward.

Good luck and wishing you clear skies.........

[Capricorn]

Astro-Baby, you don't mean astronomy will make me go blind as well? :eek:

That's another to add to the list. :grin:

[tich]

Hi & welcome to SGL

You can even look online on youTube about how to balance a scope as there is a few tutorials on there, it's not as bad as it sounds & as soon as you get to grips with it you'll wonder what all the fuss was about.

Polar alignment!! Hmmm that has been my nemesis on many occasions as I could never get it right which made my observering session a nightmare at times. I find that if you can, & this is after you've done a couple of dummy runs with it during the daytime, is to polar align it just as it's getting dark & the stars are just starting to show. Polaris is pretty easy to spot & line to then. After being able to do that a few times you should find it easier to do. Also if you're going to use it in your garden or patio area after you get it polar aligned put some markers down to where the tripod legs go as that will speed up setting everything up next time.

As said above if there are any clubs local to yourself pop along & get some hints as the hands on approach will help you out no end.

[Nickywickywoo]

Thank you all for your advice! I've finally managed to fix the superficial damage on the telescope, I now need to get TEN batteries for the handset and then just need to wait for some clear skies! Looking forward to that first look at the night sky!

[faulksy]

let us know how you get on and any problems you have

[Nickywickywoo]

Thanks!