Lesson 2: The Daytime Secret (Aligning Your Finderscope)

Pay attention: This is the single most important lesson on this website.

The finderscope is the mini-telescope riding on top of your main tube. If it’s not perfectly aligned with the main telescope, you won't find anything in the sky.

How to align it (Do this during the DAY):

Point your main telescope at a distant, stationary object (like a telephone pole, a chimney, or a tower at least half a mile away). Center it perfectly in your eyepiece and lock the telescope in place.

Now, look through your finderscope.

Adjust the small knobs on the finderscope until its red dot (or crosshair) rests exactly on that same telephone pole.

< Mentor's Warning: > Do NOT try to align your finderscope at night! Trying to find a tiny star in the dark to calibrate your scope will result in a 100% failure rate and a very frustrating night. Trust us, do it in the daylight.