help with jessops ta800x80 reflecting scope

[roodie]

hi i bought a jessops reflecting scope, ta 800x80 for my daughter, i have followed the instuctions but need to know if i need to remove the covers top and bottom,and is it acually any good or would i be better to buy something better for her, we wanted to see the planets and stars while camping ect, thanks

[NGC 1502]

To use the telescope, you will need to remove the cover at the end, nearest to

the focuser, then remove the small plastic cover on the focuser, and put one of

the eyepieces in there. No need to remove anything the other end.

In daylight, using the lowest power eyepiece ( the one with the highest number

probably 20 or 25mm ) and line up the finder, so when the finder is aimed at

an object ( use a chimneypot or anything at least 200 -300 metres away ) then

the same object will be visible in the eyepiece. This is essential to point the

telescope acurately at night. Then if you have a higher power eyepiece (lowest

number in mm) try that, to adjust the finder as best you can.

You can see a lot of good objects in the night sky with an 80mm reflector.

Please ask for more info if you need, and welcome to Stargazers Lounge.

Best regards, Ed.

[mdstuart]

Try it out when there is a clear night. Point it at a star that is not too bright and try to get it to focus the star to a nice small dot...

Then point the scope at Jupiter which is the bright "star" in the south and see if you can see the moons either side of a small white disk.

Use the lowest power first which may be marked 25mm..

You could practice in the daytime on a far away church spire etc..It will look upside down due to the way a newtonian scope operates! Getting the scope lined up and focused is a challenge until you get used to it.

Your scope is small at 80mm but is more than capable of showing the moons of Jupiter stunning views of the moon, the rings of Saturn later in the Spring and many of the brighter star clusters.

Perhaps the best book for starting out is called Turn left at Orion which tells you how to find the best objects in the sky.

Let us know how you get on..

Mark