Telescope Word Search

R T J X I F V M D T D Z N R W Z M E A B 
V P C N X R I W G R B B N O U O J Y I A 
C Z K S A R Q O Z I X R L W U H O E B S 
W Y X K R D W P K P C S A N A O O P T E 
T Y R O S S E C A O T L T C T I K I N B 
T E R I B G K W A D Q I A L K H K E U U 
T S L S U P P O R T N B L M Q E T C O T 
E X T E N S I O N G E X G L P G T E M R 
H Y V F S B T J A P B R A C E O R S D Z 
C S I X A C I S O I I I W J X C V B F P 
H I W M J E O C D E Z N E U M N T X F J 
F N G R E D S P L O Y I S H Z N J H C C 
G D G T S R Q V E E W S A N O I T O M J 
I R A M E W L X H O G C E O B J N P Z Q 
Y L E D Y O E K B T T Q L I N W F F O D 
P J N S R X F R R D W G E Y Y Q K Y N H 
W I T T U Z N A C J U N R L O C K G J O 
F F N P N C Y V F S H P G G L M Z K H L 
U O W J Z I O J Y H O L P Q P H G M U O 
C C G W R E Z F J I V L S A U Q Z D H D 

ACESSORY
AXIS
BASE
BRACE
BRACKET
CELL
CLAMP
CONTROL
EXTENSION
EYEPIECE
FINDERSCOPE
FOCUSER
LEG
LOCK
MIRROR
MOTION
MOUNT
MOUNTING
PLATE
RELEASE
SCREWS
SLOW
SUPPORT
TELESCOPE
TRAY
TRIPOD
TUBE

Note: Teachers, you can also find this a pdf file under "Printables"

Using Your Telescope

Getting a telescope is like getting a new toy. Some of which are self explanatory. Now, the more buttons and switches some things have does require us to read the instructions. I know...I know... dull, dumb, and boring, right?

 (Note: Disclaimer: you should always read the instructions with any new instrument, or at least have an adult do it for you, to understand the manufacturer's intention of proper use. I am in no way an expert on the manufacturing or proper use of telescopes.)

So, here is the 411 on using a telescope - short version.

Most telescopes come in pieces, so you have to put them together first. You may want to ask a friend, teacher, or adult for assistance.

Once your telescope is together, you'll want to use your finderscope to help aim it. Remember we talked about finderscopes in yesterday's post.  Most telescopes have a finderscope attached to the side.

If you're trying it out in daylight, point the main scope at something at least several hundred feet away using the lowest-power eyepiece. DO NOT LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SUN!! I know it's the only star you're going to see during the day, but DON'T DO IT!

Instead, point your view toward a tree top, according to astronomy-education.com, and don't be surprised if it's upside down. Remember there is a mirror in there, it's okay if it's upside down or even sideways. Your telescope really wasn't intended to look at treetops, anyway.

No really, we're getting ready to star gaze remember?

Take extra care when you're turning that little knob on the side to focus and refocus your view. Sometimes wanting a better view will just make it worse. Focus on good, you probably won't get great, and that's okay. You'll still be able to see the stars.

Make sure you place your telescope in a position where you can look through it comfortably. Like on your desk. Have a place where you can sit, stand, or lay for long periods of time while staring through the eyepiece.

And most importantly, don't try to see everything at once. There is a whole vast world up there filled with billions of stars, planets, meteors, and all kinds of cosmic things I think of right now. Take your time, check out one star, one galaxy, one thing at a time.

When your in school you take one subject at a time, think of gazing through your telescope as the same as taking a class or subject in school. It's fun to discover new things, how many new things did you discover just by setting up and using your telescope?

Parts of a Telescope

Universetoday, has this great photo of all the parts of a telescope. Wow, who would have thought that it would have so many! Seventeen to be exact.

I guess telescopes are more than just those long tubes with lens and wheels for looking at things. And, you know what? They're so much more powerful than just your grandmother's magnifying glass.

So, let's see if we can name them all.

1. Finderscope
2. Focuser
3. Eyepiece
4. Release Control For Mount
5. Mount Base or Mounting Plate
6. Outer Tripod Leg
7. Tripod Leg Extension
8. Tripod Support Brace
9. Accessory Tray
10. Tripod Leg Clamp
11. Mount Axis
12. Mount
13. Mirror Cell- Primary
14. Telescope Tube
15. Slow Motion Control Lock
16. Finderscope Eyepiece
17. Finderscope Bracket.

Wow, kinda overwhelming when you think about it... all those parts.  How do you remember them all, right?

How about we start with just the most common of them?

When you learn to drive a car, you don't always have to know all the parts of the car. Take it from a gal who doesn't know how to change a tire. When it comes to learning to use a telescope the most common parts you need to know are:

Finderscope Eyepiece
Focuser
Telescope Tube
Mirror Cell
Mount

Why are these the most important?

Well, let's go backwards shall we.

The mount is what holds your telescope to your tripod and allows you to swing it around.
The mirror cell, is just that, it's a mirror that reflects what is in the sky to your eye.
The telescope tube is the long casing part of your telescope, it's the shell on the turtles back.
Your focuser is like tuning in a static channel on your television and helps you make things crystal clear to see.
Your eyepiece is the piece you look through,like those of you, like me, who wear glasses to hold our lenses in place in order to focus on what is in front of us.

Now, if I'm wrong, please correct me. Be gentle. I am a newbie, after all.