Star Tracker 127 telescope

[DianeM]

:shrug:Using a star tracker 127 telescope for the first time and need advice from anybody who has more experience than I on how to get the maximum out of this, please?

[NorthernLight]

Hi Diane,

I guess the scope you bought comes with a german equatorial mount. which means you need to locate yourself in terms of Latitude tobe able to use the scope on this mount. You can find your latitude if you give IceInspace your address. The latitude in degrees determines the hight of the polar axis of the mount (there should be 2 screws front and rear to adjust the height and a scale the reads from about 20° to 60°-maybe more).
Second you need to locate south as good as possible and have the front of the polar axis pointing there. then mount your scope!
what you have now is an aligned telescope (mount) with 2 knobs allowing you to follow the movement of the heavens (or better compensate earths movement) - that is the knob of the Right Ascension (or hour) axis. The other one (Declination) gives you the chance to correct inaccurate initial set up and the imperfections of the mount.
To get better images from the scope buy a collimation device (usually a laser that goes in the eyepiece holder) and correct the misalignment of your prime and secondary mirror. you should do that every now and than but definetly after every driving around in a car.
most importantly, always be gentle to your scope and mount, never touch a mirror surface or attempt to clean it (you will only destroy the surface layers that matter the most) and GO WHERE THERE IS NO ARTIFICIAL LIGHT!!! A good spot to observe is so dark that you can only tell if there are clouds when you cannot see stars (avoid full moon nights and plan observations on moonless nights/unless you are after the moon).
Get yourself some observatory software and a starchart so you´ll be able to locate the things that impress most. And if you think your scope sucks think again, it is not your scope its your eyepieces that suck. Get better ones with larger fields of view (FOV) and you´ll be amazed.
Get a book about stargazing and one about the universe, you´ll be much more amazed if know what you are actually looking at, trust me.
Never listen to the gear-geeks or soon you´ll suffer from aperture fever and become as poor as a church mouse:).
All the best with your new scope!