
7
EXTENDED PERIODS BECAUSE PROPELLANT FROM THE CAN MIGHT ESCAPE
AND DAMAGE THE OPTICAL SURFACE.
If, after several attempts, you cannot remove the particles, take the telescope to an optical
professional for cleaning.
If you keep the dust caps on your telescope when it is not in use and avoid handling the
lenses or mirrors, only minimal optical maintenance of your telescope should be required.
Extensive cleaning is usually only necessary every few years.
What to Look For in the Sky
There is a whole universe of objects you could view at night, so where do you start? We
recommend starting with the most prominent objects first.
The moon
The moon is the easiest target to find at night. When the moon is in full position, it bathes the
night with a silvery light that washes the sky of all but the brightest objects. The best time to
view the moon is not when it is full, but rather when it is less than half full. The dividing line
between dark and light on the moon, called the terminator, shows the best detail in the
craters and mountains.
The planets
The planets, our solar system companions, range in size from moon-size rocky bodies to
giant gas balls, which could hold Earth 1000 times over. To find the planets, you will need
information about their times of visibility. An astronomy magazine will give you the locations
of the planets, as they change position from month to month. The Internet is also an excellent
source of information, starcharts, maps, and more! The popular and more familiar
constellations often provide the easiest landmarks to help find the planet’s locations and
paths of orbit. Most people have looked up at night and seen some of the planets without
even realizing it. A planet appears like a bright star but does not twinkle like a star; it will look
like a tiny ball. Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, are the easiest planets to view. Mercury is
dimmer, usually below the horizon, and is more challenging to find.
Each of the planets provides interesting views. Venus is covered with clouds so all that is
visible is an extremely bright light, the brightest next to the moon. Venus, like the moon, goes
through phases, however. As it travels around the sun, different areas of the planet’s surface
are illuminated, producing crescent shapes of varying size. Mars is the red planet. When it is
above the horizon, it is noticeably red and stands out like a beacon in the night sky. The
apparent brightness of Mars varies as the planet orbits around the sun and throughout its
period of visiblity, it will brighten and dim depending on how near or far it is from Earth.
Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system and the second brightest next to Venus.
Jupiter has many moons, four of which are often visible through your telescope, when
viewing conditions permit. As you watch them throughout the evening, you will see that they
change position relative to each other and to Jupiter. It is possible with careful planning to